Sonic's family returns
by FortuneandCathfernaTH
Summary: After a horrible dream about his older sister Fortune, Sonic is left very senseitive. But what happens when his family returns and Knuckles finally pushes him to far?
1. Cover almost blown

**Sonic's family returns**

**Alright people this may be a little confusing to you since I don't have Sonic's past you can find the first part here: ****.com/art/sonics-past-part-one-102126490**** from there you will find the other parts ******** any way I own Zandorf, Gem, and Fortune rest belong to Sega ********. **

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Sonic, Knuckles and Tails were all sharing a room at Chris' mansion. Tails and Knuckles were sleeping soundly unlike Sonic who tossed and turned in his sleep, breathing heavily and grunting almost screaming. For Sonic was facing a night mare from when he was ten years old.

'_The sky was a burning yellow. Fire was everywhere burning the once bright green grass. Sonic coughed violently using his super speed he kept up with the dark brown female hedgehog that also had super speed. Her quills were like an echidna's except they had waves in them. She wore a necklace that had a pendant that was shaped like a diamond. ( like this except in a vertical position) She wore a light pink skirt and belly shirt that had the partners like Tikal's skirt on them. In her hair were white bandages like Tikal's and a crown like Tikal's. _

_Sonic fell to his knees coughing so hard that tears fell from his eyes. The brown hedgehog turned around to the ten year old and kneeled down to his level. "Sonic we can't stay we'll be hit by the bombs!" Sonic just cried looking down at his hands and his guitar shaped necklace. "Why does it have to be this way Fortune? Why did all those creatures have to get killed like this?" Sonic begged for an answer as he buried his face in his hands while his tears landed to the ground. _

"_Sonic we did all we could I wish I could have stopped this too but Zandorf would not listen to us now he is bringing Manic, Sonia, Gem and everyone else down with him- Ah!" Fortune tried explaining before being interrupted by a falling bomb she grabbed Sonic into her arms and carried him running at high speed while trying to avoid the other bombs flames around her. "Are we going to make it?" Sonic asked hugging his sister tightly frightened by the exploding flames around them. Fortune was about to tell him that they would make it out when one of the bombs pushed them forward making them land a few feet from each other. _

_Fortune and Sonic moaned. Sonic lied on the ground not moving at all as Fortune tried to struggle to her feat not having much luck. Through the flames a tall man who was very round walked toward them. "He he he he You fools honestly thought you two could get away from the millions of others who thought they could to? Ha! Not a chance but since I am such a nice doctor I will spare your lives for the rainbow chaos emerald." The doctor laughed with his hands on his sides. _

_Fortune made it to her knees and pulled out a rainbow emerald she squinted and muttered two words. "Chaos… Blast!" In an instant a giant rainbow beam came from it and hit the man blast him back a few feet. Sonic had seen this and finally scrambled to his feat toward Fortune's side who was now making her way shakily to her feat. "Get back Sonic!" Fortune choked and pushed Sonic back onto the ground a few feet away. _

_Sonic looked up at her confused as her body began to get a light brown aura around her. Her quills shot upward and her emerald green eyes had faded the emerald began to spin around in the air in front of her as the man began making his way toward them again. Sonic knew that the attack she was doing took a large impact on the hedgehog and she was already severely weakened. "Fortune!" Sonic yelled as tears fell quickly from his eyes. Fortune had to ignore his call and she made one final blast on the doctor that sent him somewhere else. She fell down to the ground lying there almost not breathing. _

_Sonic ran to her side and kneeled down in front of her. "Sonic… find Mobius and live there tell no one of the emerald…" Fortune managed out as tears escaped from her eyes and she got out the rainbow chaos emerald with out Sonic noticing. Sonic's eyes widened with fear his voice trembled. "But Fortune I can't leave you behind you are my only family I don't know anything about how to get there or when to know!" Fortune looked toward Sonic and began to speak again. "Your heart will tell you when you get there you will have friends and you'll be able to help people like you have always wanted to do… I know it's hard but I made a promise to myself that I wasn't going to lose you even if it meant my own life… So I am sorry Sonic…" Fortune touched Sonic's forehead and her hand glowed she pushed Sonic away and muttered a two words into the gem. "Chaos control!" Fortune threw the emerald toward Sonic and he caught it. _

_Tears busted from his eyes he started to run at high speed toward Fortune and tried to reach for her before the chaos control took place but disappeared just as his hand was about to reach hers.' _

"Fortune!" Sonic yelled as he shot up into a sitting position in his bed he covered his mouth with his hand and got the displeasure able taste of sweat that dripped into the corner of his mouth. He looked at Knuckles and Tails who were to his relief still sleeping. Tails he kind of figured would be since he was a deep sleeper Knuckles on the other hand was a very light sleeper so he was surprised that he was still asleep.

Sonic gave a staggered sigh of relief. 'What was with that dream? Could it be that maybe…' Sonic thought trying to make sense of this he opened the window next to his bed and ran out in an instant. Knuckles Opened one of his eyes when Sonic thought he was asleep he had actually been awoken by his scream and now was a little bit concerned for his blue friend. 'I guess Sonic was having a pretty bad nightmare if it caused him to wake up yelling but who is Fortune? It seems somewhat familiar to me but not important I should wake up Tails and we should follow Sonic.'

Knuckles thought as he began to shake Tails awake. "Tails! Tails wake up!" Knuckles growled as the fox began to open his sleepy eyes and sat up on his bed. "What is it Knuckles?" Tails yawned as he rubbed his eyes. "I'll explain on the way right now we need to catch up with Sonic!" Knuckles then grabbed Tails out of bed and jumped out the window that Sonic had left open and landed lightly on the ground. Sonic obviously wasn't running that fast because Knuckles and Tails could still see him from a clear distance.

"Why are we following Sonic?" Tails asked in a whisper assuming that they were trying not to be spotted as he and Knuckles lightly ran to catch up with him. "The real question is what is he hiding? I was waked up by his screaming…" Knuckles explained quietly in the fox's ear as they ran. "Well if it was a dream about Amy chasing him with a hammer then he is probably just running to clear his head." Tails suggested as he avoided being spot by Sonic.

"It wasn't about Amy…" Knuckles muttered as he pulled Tails behind a rock just before Sonic turned to look in their direction. "Huh… I guess I am just hearing things…" Sonic decided as he started up a little faster this time. "How do you know?" Tails asked still going with his original hypothesis. "Because he screamed 'Fortune' and last I checked Amy's name wasn't Fortune." Knuckles explained not looking at Tails. "Huh?" Was Tails only answer he finally understood why they were following Sonic. Sonic finally came to a stop in front of a forest and jumped down into no where.

"What?" Knuckles and Tails asked in unison as they edge toward the spot Sonic was. "Maybe it's cloaked?" Tails suggested as he reached his hand out toward the spot. As he predicted his hand went strait through. "Lets Go then!" Knuckles urged as he grabbed Tails and jumped down.

After about three seconds Knuckles jabbed his fist quietly into the wall avoiding any noise he and Tails descended lightly to the ground. They looked around and suddenly saw Sonic looking questioningly at a spinning rainbow gem that's glow brightened and dimmed in a millisecond time span making the entire cave glow.

'What's with it? I haven't seen it done something like this….' Sonic wondered still looking at the gem. Tails and Knuckles in wonder until Tails sneezed loudly that echoed throughout the underground cave. Sonic turned around and spotted Tails and Knuckles who was giving Tails a very dirty look for blowing their cover.

"So I did wake you guys up by screaming." Sonic said admitting a defeated sigh. Tails stared at him unsurely he was too afraid to speak he had a lot of questions to ask but was very afraid to how Sonic might react. Sonic minimized the gem and held it in his hand and shut his eyes. "Memory swipe." Sonic said and in an instant the gem shined brightly. Knuckles and Tails passed out on top of each other.

Sonic put the emerald back where it was; it had stopped its abnormal behavior and now glowed solidly. He looked back at his two passed out friends sadly and walked up to them. "Sorry guys but its safer if you guys don't know for now I hate keeping this from everyone but that was my promise to Fortune." Sonic admitted sadly he decided it would be safer to take the emerald with him he minimized it decided that since they were out he would use chaos control.

"Chaos control!" Sonic shouted and in an instant the three disappeared


	2. Comets of life

Sonic's family returns

**Okay remember people this will make more sense if you read my sonic's past story at ****.com/**** okay remember everyone I only own Fortune, Zandorf, and Gem ******** rest belong to Sega. **

After putting Knuckles and Tails back into their beds Sonic decided to get back into his. Sonic put his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. 'The emerald was acting weird maybe that's why I had that flash back… Then again Fortune did tell me that as long as one hedgehog was alive the emerald would give back life to the royal family and those who were connected with them at least once…' Sonic thought as tears came to his eyes. He wanted Fortune to come back but he knew the chances of the chaos emerald bringing back her were very slim since she had broken its law about killing all pure blue babies.

'Why did you erase my memories Fortune? You knew that you could have saved both of us but gave your life to save mine. Why protect me all these years?' Sonic asked himself these same questions every time he thought of this event he wish he had answers but his sister was gone and he had to face that fact. After a while he drifted to sleep unaware that multiple comets that had a rainbow glow to them; were striking the earth at high speeds.

Sonic was shaken awake by Tails and Knuckles a few hours later with eyes of urgency. "Sonic you have got to come see this news story!" Tails explained quickly. Knuckles grabbed Sonic by the wrist before he could make a comment and dragged him downstairs to the living room where Chris, Amy, Rouge, Cream, Cheese, Chuck, Shadow, Ella, and Tanaka were already waiting for them. Knuckles stopped and let go of Sonic just as a Red haired girl in an orange dress came on the screen and began to explain the breaking news.

"Last night at 12:00 a.m. an estimate of 200 rainbow glowing comets crashed to the earth at a speed as reported by scientists 350 miles per hour. However scientists are still trying to figure out why the remains of these comets have not been found and why they did not destroy the earth on impact what you are about to see is live footage of this event." After she had said the T.V. turned to show the rainbow comets falling to the earth. "Further studies will be made to determine this impact and will be accompanied by Dr. Eggman and Chuck Thorndike."

"What?!" Everyone shouted in unison hearing that Eggman was going to be helping the study. Sonic gave a very cold look from hearing this not only could he not trust Eggman but he could also never forgive him for what he did to him five years before. Knuckles glanced at Sonic he had seen him mad but there seemed to be sadness in this anger like there was something else he didn't like about Eggman. Knuckles was still very curious but decided to not get into it and focused his attention back on the T.V.

"In other unrelated news it seems that about seven unidentified figures of speed have been spotted in photographers pictures as blurs and are now attempting to capture them if you have any other information of this please call 999-hot-news."

Sonic was now stunned he had calmed down about Eggman now he was mesmerized with shock. 'D-did they return? If Zandorf and Gem have returned they have to be stopped!' He shook himself out of the trance hoping no one had noticed. Thankfully no one did. "Alright everyone lets get to work!" Tails shouted with confidence as he motioned for everyone to come to the garage where he and Chuck worked. "Well you guys do that I have got some huge cleaning to do." Ella walked off to the cleaning supplies closet as Tanaka and Sonic started to follow the others.

Meanwhile around the time the news broadcast had shown; Manic was riding his air board swiftly dodging the light beams being shot at him. "Gees what is these guys problem?" Manic asked as he looked down at the multiple cop cars as two more beams proceeded to hit him. "Alright I've had enough of you people!" Manic yelled his green eyes had flames in them. He pulled out his drumsticks and began to tap the edge of his board.

Soon the ground began to shake and everyone began to scream. Manic threw his arms upward and five giant rocks floated in the air. A police officer jumped out his car his face a deep red color and began to yell at Manic. "Intruder you think we are going to be intimidated by a stupid hedgehog that can make rocks fly not a chance!" Manic finally lost it the cop should have feared him. His body collected a light green aura around his body his eyes went completely white and his gem glowed he threw his arms forward and it hit the cops and the tanks that tried to hit him with the beams. When everyone thought the worst was over the rocks exploded causing the cars to explode and began to set a building on fire. Now everyone was in a panic and ran away screaming giving Manic enough time to land safely into an alley.

"You have done well Manic." A cold voice complimented him who was completely covered from the shadows that allowed only his intense green eyes to be seen. "Thanks." Manic said already knowing who it was. "Dad, don't you think that this violence is a little unnecessary?" Sonia asked stepping into the alley with Manic.

(A/N: Please note that Sonia has quills like Amy's except they are longer in back and get shorter in front and her shirt is now a belly shirt everything else is the same.)

"Of course it is child have you forgotten the lessons your father taught you?" Gem asked giving a cold look to Sonia. "But it all seems unsanitary." Sonia argued fighting back tears. 'Why did they banish Sonic and Fortune out into the street? They're still Gem and Zandrof's children and they are still my sister and brother. It just seems wrong.' Zandorf read her mind and became very angry at Sonia. "He was going to bring everything down in our colony and did because of him our planet was destroyed!" Sonia trembled looking down she yelled. "He's still your son! I'm through with you two!" Sonia turned and began running she heard that Sonic was at the Thorndike mansion she decided to go there and say she was sorry for the way everyone treated him.

Manic watched Sonia runaway he probably would have gone with her had his father made him believe that Sonic was the reason for the destruction of their colony. "Are we just going to let her go?" Manic asked he watched Zandorf nod his head. "She won't be any threat to us." Manic nodded and watched as Sonia was out of eyesight.

"Tails and I have designed a DNA organizer it can tell us everything about any living organisms history; including: exact birthday, any diseases had, time of death, it can give us a full picture on the screen." Chuck continued the list with the explanation as Sonic leaned against a wall listening to all the things until he started to black out.

'"_Sonic……...I'm glad you are my friend.'" '"I'm so sorry Knuckles there wasn't anything that could be done Tikal is gone."' '"Iku!'" '"Why did they have to take my mother?!"' '"Thank you hedgehogs."' '"There is no reason that one should be killed because a color."' '"Yeah he's okay."' '"Your heart will tell you when…. Goodbye Sonic the hedgehog."' _

Sonic could see again he was still standing he gasped. He remembered everything how Zeena and Keno were able to save his life, how they planed to use the nutria to bring down Zandorf, how Iku died protecting the chao, how he saved a seedrin clan, how Zeena and Keno's parents told Fortune that no one because of a color, how Tikal died and how crushed Knuckles was. But was it the same Knuckles? Well it didn't matter he still remembered. Sonic let a tear fall from his eye.

The only two who had noticed was Shadow and Amy who looked confusingly at Sonic. "Sonic?" Amy asked unable to find words. Shadow continued to stare at him. No one else heard Amy when Chuck and Tails finally finished explaining the plan of how to find the hedgehogs and the comets they asked Sonic to do what they had explained. "Uhh sorry can you repeat that?" Sonic asked since he had blacked out from the conversation.

"You mean to say that you have been leaning there against the wall not paying attention to anything that we have said for the past half an hour? What could you have possible been thinking about that you thought was just more important than what was going on?! You shouldn't have even been hero in the first place!" Knuckles yelled right in front of Sonic. "Knuckles I think you should back off." Shadow tried to convince Knuckles remembering the tear he already knew that he was about to push Sonic too far. "Back off?! He needs to stop thinking that he is more important than everyone else on this team!"

Sonic shut his eyes he wished Knuckles would shut up since he was defiantly not feeling up to listening to insults especially from him. "Back off Knuckles!" Amy yelled at the red echidna because she too feared that Sonic was being pushed to far and was afraid of what he might do. "All he is is selfish!" Knuckles yelled complaining once more. That was the last straw for Sonic he finally broke out in tears he grunted his teeth and punched Knuckles across the face making Knuckles land onto the ground a few feet away with a bloody nose.

"What about you Knuckles did you ever stop to think about anything else but that master emerald of yours or maybe just stop to think that your not the only who doesn't know his past or that your insults actually hurt!" Sonic yelled as tears flowed from his eyes everyone looked in fear at what Sonic just did. He ran out of the garage as tears were flying out his eyes he couldn't face them now he wanted Fortune back now more than ever.

"He gave me a bloody nose." Knuckles complained holding his nose as he sat up. "Shadow, Tails go try and catch up with him!" Chuck ordered franticly in an instant Shadow ran at full speed trying to catch up with Sonic and Tails turned on the X-tornado and was off in an instant as well. "You shouldn't have pushed him so hard Knuckles." Rouge explained shaking her head as she held a rag against Knuckles nose.

Outside of the garage behind a bunch of bushes Sonia had heard and watched the entire thing her eyes swelled with tears she could feel her triplet brother's pain. She held her hand close against her chest fighting back the tears as best she could until she quickly shut her eyes as tears burst from them and she started crying. She stood up and began to follow the direction her brother was.

Sonic was running through the city he knew Shadow was going to try to catch up with him and try to convince him to talk with the others but he didn't want to the only one he wanted to talk to was Fortune but he knew that she wasn't coming back no matter how much he begged. Spotting Shadow's blur Sonic turned into an alley and sulked into a corner he hugged his knees as many tears flowed from his eyes.

Shadow stopped in front of the alley and looked around for any signs of Sonic not finding any he continued running. Sonic continued to whimper after a few minutes took the rainbow chaos emerald from his pocket and looked at it for a few seconds as he heard the X-tornado fly over him with Tails looking around. He then whispered. "Chaos control." And disappeared to the Mystic Ruins.


	3. Meet Fortune the hedgehog

**Sonic's family returns I only own Zandorf, Gem, and Fortune the rest of the characters belong to Sega **

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Now Tanaka, Chris, Chuck, Ella, Cream, Cheese, Amy, Rouge, and Knuckles waited for Tails and Shadow to return with Sonic.

"Do you think they found him Amy?" Cream asked sadly as tears began swelling in her eyes. "I don't know Cream…." Amy answered truthfully.

"Something was up with Sonic today I wonder…. I wonder if it has anything to do with the comets or the blurry pictures."

Chris thought aloud the day's events replaying in his mind.

"Perhaps Sonic was troubled by not remembering his past and it put him in a foul mood." Tanaka suggested as he cleaned his glasses.

"The poor dear I am very worried for him if those hedgehogs find him who knows what they might do."

Ella saddened from the thought she turned her head away from the screen to the garage door hoping that Shadow or Tails would return with Sonic.

"He'll come back he just needs to cool down a little." Knuckles sassed hiding the fact that he actually felt responsible for Sonic's disappearance.

"How do you know? You were the one who made him run off." Rouge reminded him just as anxious as every one else.

Knuckles fell silent from his lose of words.

'What if Sonic doesn't come back? Then everyone will continue to blame me…'

Knuckles discontinued the thought and focused his attention at the door.

After what seemed like days Shadow and Tails finally returned with sad looks on their faces.

"There was no sign of him anywhere." Tails announced disappointed looking down at the ground.

Shadow looked at Amy who was now crying into her hands.

Shadow put his hand on Amy's shoulder in attempts to comfort her.

"What do we do we can't collect the blood samples from them without Sonic." Tails lifted his head for only a moment.

"There isn't more we can do about for tonight I'll try and think of something to help us find Sonic until then we should try and continue with the studies."

Chuck gave a defeated sigh as everyone left to their rooms since no one had really felt like eating.

Knuckles however climbed up to the roof and looked at the stars; with hopes that it would help clear his head so he could fall asleep.

Leaving the lonely Tails to sleep in the bedroom where he, Sonic and Knuckles slept.

Even though it was about sixty degrees in the room Tails still felt cold under his blankets; sad seeing the empty bed one question kept running through his mind.

'Where is Sonic?'

About fifty miles away from the Thorndike mansion; the next morning a brown female hedgehog walked down a lonely street.

The street basically only held gangsters; which there weren't very many of.

She kept her eyes forward looking hopelessly lost.

'I need to find Sonic; after all these years of lying to him he needs to know the truth besides he will be really happy to see me after losing me.'

Fortune's thoughts were interrupted all of a sudden a black haired man pushed her against the wall making her hit her head quite hard.

"You know, girls like you shouldn't be wondering around here they get beat up like this!"

He yelled throwing a punch at Fortune making her fall face first into the ground.

Fortune tried to move but she felt too dizzy to do more than lift up her head.

She watched horrified as two other men began to charge at her as they lifted her off of the ground by her shirt.

"Put me down!" Fortune yelled stammering with fear as the first man laughed.

"So it does talk!" He grinned with pleasure holding Fortune against the wall.

"Hey I got a rope lets tie her up and use her as a piñata!" The brown haired man suggested while the other two snorted.

The blond haired man began another punch at Fortune. Tears rolled down her eyes. Shutting her eyes in fear she braced herself for the hit to come.

Suddenly she felt like she was being dropped then caught by someone who now was holding her in a sitting position.

Unsure of what had happened she opened her eyes and saw that the original man was now lying on the ground with what looked liked sharp stars in his chest.

She looked up the person who was now holding her up to her surprise it was a dark pink chameleon.

"Are you alright?" Espio asked who didn't even take her eyes off of her.

"I think so…" Fortune answered almost truthfully since she felt a little bit like she was blacking out.

Espio looked at her unsurely until Vector and Charmy started cheering.

"Take that bad guys!" Charmy yelled as he began to back flips in the air and laughed.

"Yeah and don't come back!" Vector cheered raising his arm in the air as he and Charmy watched the two remaining men run away.

"Do you two always do that after a fight?" Espio asked forgetting about Fortune for a moment.

"Well yeah it's- Espio look at the girl!" Vector yelled once he caught sight of Fortune.

Espio didn't know what he was talking about until he looked at the brown females passed out body.

"Uh-?" Espio was at a lack of words at what just happened after about a minute Vector intervened.

"Well pick her up and take her back to our house then she will most defiantly pay for our services."

Vector smiled along with Charmy and began walking forward leaving Espio behind as he began to carry Fortune.

'The girl passed out and all he can think about is money?' Espio thought as he began to follow them.

Manic was now riding his air board a few feet above Eggman's base then landed into it from an open window.

"Dr. Eggman we have an intruder." Decoe warned him looking up from his computer.

"Ah so we have some people wanting entertainment I see? Alright then turn on the security lasers on full power."

Eggman laughed as he looked up from his experiments.

"Yes sir!" Decoe and Bocoe shouted in unison as they began the defense system.

After about two minutes of typing Error appeared on the screen Decoe and Bocoe looked up at Eggman.

"Dr. He has destroyed them before we even sent the message." Decoe informed him looking up from the computer.

"What? Impossible there is no way he could have known about-." Eggman yelled frustrated until being cut off by a large explosion from his door.

"Ah!" Decoe and Bocoe screamed in unison as they took shelter behind Eggman.

"Sonic?" Decoe and Bocoe asked in unison. Eggman looked calmly waiting for the smoke to clear up and gave a smile.

"Not quite boys but you are close it's actually his triplet brother Manic the hedgehog." Eggman explained as he gave a dark chuckle.

"He's nothing to me it was his fault that the colony fell! Now give back what is rightfully mine!"

Manic scowled looking darkly at Eggman and the two robots causing them to back further behind Eggman.

"Oh I swear Manic I do not have it," Eggman answered truthfully with a flare in his eyes.

"But I know who does."

Espio leaned over Fortune without thinking he laid his hand on her warm cheek. Ever since he had brought her here he hadn't left her side.

"Shouldn't we get a doctor? She's been out cold for two days now." Espio asked Vector who was sitting calmly at the table reading the paper.

"And tell them what? We don't have any history on her or her parents for all we know she may have epilepsy."

Vector answered looking up from his paper. Espio opened his mouth to argue when Fortune began to move.

Noticing this he quickly moved his hand and blushed.

"Hey Espio your blushing!" Charmy teased as he hovered next to him with a smile on his face.

"Shut up Charmy." Espio replied coldly his blush still completely showing.

Fortune weakly opened her eyes and waited for them to adjust before sitting up making her dizzy.

Espio caught her and helped her to stay in an upright position.

Fortune looked up at Espio's bright eyes.

"Where am I?" Fortune asked after about two seconds as she held onto Espio's arm for support.

Espio blushed at this movement which completely disappeared in an instant then began to explain.

"You're at the Chaotix detective agency. We saw you getting beat up by a bunch of gangsters and we chased them off;

But unfortunately you still passed out so we took you back here."

Fortune looked stunned at Espio and noticed she was holding onto his arm and slowly let go.

She stared at her hands trying to hide the fact that tears were streaming down her face.

'She is really pretty……' Espio thought looking at Fortune confusingly.

Questioning why he a top class ninja stomach was tightening from just the sight of her.

"Excuse me miss but we are not a free agency I'm afraid our services require pay of about one thousand dollars."

Vector euphemized as a sparkle in his eye came to life. Fortune looked up at Vector avoiding Espio's glance and nodded.

"I don't have any money but I will pay you some way."

Vector's mouth dropped from hearing this but then he spied the faint glow from Fortune's necklace and instantly ran over to her knocking Espio down.

Espio gave a very cold look to him which he again didn't notice as he quickly grabbed the necklace held it off of Fortune's chest.

Vector's eyes gleamed from the sight of it and drooled a little.

"This will do fine…" Vector said as though he had been hypnotized keeping his eyes on the gem.

Fortune looked rather appalled and snatched the necklace from his hands and replaced it to its original position.

"I don't think so." Fortune scowled at Vector as he fell backwards onto the floor.

"I'm so sorry about that he doesn't know anything when it comes to manors." Espio explained getting up from the floor and returning to her side.

"Yeah don't mind him he swallowed a lot of swamp water when he was a baby so it makes him very neurotic."

Charmy stated as he hovered around the room.

"So Charmy exactly how many weeks of dishes did you want?"

Vector asked threatening him with chores as he got back up to a sitting position on the floor.

"Shuting up." Charmy said quickly as he landed on a chair from the dining room.

"Good boy." Vector replied calmly giving him a teasing glance. Fortune quickly stood up to leave as she avoided the threes glances.

"Well thank you three for your help I will repay you my debts but I'm afraid I'll have to be going."

Fortune stumbled a bit who was caught by Espio and after a second gently released his grip.

"B-but miss I don't think you are in-." Espio stopped as he tried again to catch her but instead tripped also and landed on top of her face to face.

Fortune gazed up at him in complete trance from his eyes. 'They are orange just like Mathies' '.

'She looks beautiful close up…. And her eyes…. Where have I seen eyes like hers?'

Espio asked in his mind in trance when he suddenly figured out where he had seen her eyes. 'They look exactly like Sonic's eyes!'

After a few moments of just laying there Espio and Fortune heard loud bursts of laughter.

Espio looked over his shoulder and saw that both Charmy and Vector were holding on to their stomachs as they laughed hysterically.

'What are they laughing about?' Espio asked until he noticed that he had fell on top of a girl he didn't even know the name of.

Espio gasped as he hung his mouth open to try to speak as his cheeks turned a dark red.

He immediately got off of her and held out his hand to help her off the floor.

Fortune gave a smile to Espio implying that she was not mad by Espio's mistake.

"I guess I am a little off balance." Fortune chuckled a bit making Espio give a calm smile and laughed a bit with her.

"If I may ask what made you want to go down that street?" Espio asked on a more serious tone.

"I was looking for my younger brother…" Fortune replied sadly staring at the floor she came up with a simple explanation.

"We were separated about five years ago I had to separate him from his triplet brother and sister for reasons…. Now I just want to reunite with him I'm sure he has missed me greatly…."

Vector's face brightened as he got up off of the floor grabbed Charmy and stood in front of Fortune.

"Ah so you are looking for lost family? Well you have just run into the best detectives in the universe and we are great at tracking down people."

Vector bragged as he let go of Charmy in the air.

"Yeah we are we have reunited a lot of people!" Charmy furthered as he gave a bright smile to Fortune.

"Can I talk with you two a moment alone?"

Espio interrupted as he grabbed Charmy and Vector's backs and jumped behind Vector's desk not waiting for the answer.

"What the heck Espio?" Vector asked angrily looking coldly at the Chameleon.

"Look I don't think we should charge her for our services." Espio explained in his usual tone as he hid his nervousness.

"You like her." Vector criticized as a huge smile came across his face.

"Espio likes-" Charmy began before being cut off by Vector's hand.

"Espio I know exactly how you feel I'm going to do everything in my power to make the girl fall in love with you!"

Vector said confidently as the three of them jumped up from behind the desk.

"As a special bonus if you let us help you we won't charge you a thing!" Vector announced raising his hand in the air.

Fortune thought for a moment as she crossed her arms and glanced down at the floor.

"Alright."

Fortune decided knowing she didn't have a way out of this. If they truly were as good as they say they are she'd find Sonic, Manic, and Sonia sooner.

"Okay now tell me Age, Eye color, Regular color, names and anything else that could help us with appearance wise."

Vector briefed as he pulled out a pencil and notebook. Espio stood there next to Vector and wondered if she had heard the conversation.

"All three of them are fithteen, Eye color is green like mine, Sonic is blue, and Manic is a limeish green and has crazy hair,

Sonia is a two toned pink hedgehog with quills that are shorter in the front and longer in the back." Fortune explained as she let her arms down.

"Sonic never mentioned having a sister." Charmy stated just as shocked as Vector was Espio however stayed emotionless.

"You know him?" Fortune smiled hopefully as she brought her hands together.

"Yeah we do he is a very good buddy of mine Espio will take you to him while Charmy and I locate Manic and Sonia."

Vector assured with a bright smile as he turned to give a wink to Espio.

Espio gave Vector a death glance since he didn't want help in the first place.

"I just remembered we haven't been formally introduced I am Espio the Chameleon."

Espio introduced with a relaxed smile until being pushed back ward by Charmy and Vector.

"I'm Charmy the Bee!" Charmy introduced as he fluttered his wings happily.

"I am Vector the Crocodile and I am at your service." Vector stated giving her a smile and thumbs up.

"Nice to meet you all I am Fortune the Hedgehog."

After the four introduced each other Espio and Fortune were walking silently to the Thorndike mansion.

Unaware that Charmy and Vector were hiding behind a bush and watching them with binoculars.

"So Fortune you have a very interesting name." Espio stated suddenly to attempt to break the silence.

"Thanks I think. It fits me quite well." Fortune chuckled slightly as she turned her head to Espio and smiled.

'Well Mathies told me to find someone else to love.' Fortune decided before Espio interrupted her thoughts.

"I just want to say sorry for that little thing that happened back at the Chaotix I usually have a much better balance."

Espio admitted as he blushed a deep red from the memory. Fortune shook her head and smiled politely at Espio.

"Don't worry about honestly it was just an accident."

Espio nodded as they continued walking in silence. "Tell me the truth…. how were you and Sonic separated?"

Espio asked curious looking seriously at Fortune.

"I mean Sonic knows he can come to us for case solving it would only make sense for him to ask us to find you.

If you two were separated unless of course it was something unbearable or other wise."

Espio raised his eyebrow keeping his eyes serious while looking at her. 'This girl has something different about her.'

Fortune looked down at her feet walking slightly slower. 'Can I really trust him not to tell anyone?'

"I promise to keep it case sensitive." Espio coaxed truthfully keeping his eyes forward.

"It's a hard story…. Not just to tell but to understand." Fortune admitted still unsure.

"I have handled a lot of weird cases especially working with Vector and Charmy I have an easy understanding of things."

Espio explained turning his head to Fortune.

Fortune's eyes saddened she closed them and began to explain. "Sonic and I….. Are not from Mobius…….

We are actually born on a planet called Sanctuary….. It held a lot of creatures but the main ones were echidnas and hedgehogs…..

There were two clans of Echidnas one clan was with us and the other against us…..

They were being led by an evil doctor named Robotnik, who gave them the weapons capable of taking down the most powerful,

Rainbow emerald clan that only consisted of hedgehogs and a few cross species hedgehogs….

I had predicted this and Sonic convinced me to warn the others…

Sonic and I were outlaws he was supposed to be killed at birth because the blue trait was supposed to be cursed….

We found our father and begged him to evacuate the planet before destruction came but he wouldn't listen we were almost killed by him but

Manic and Sonia got in front of us……...

Even after all we had told him bombs began to hit us it killed Manic and Sonia soon only Sonic I were left…..

I defended him from Robotnik with the rainbow chaos emerald but I couldn't do much since it gets its power from the hedgehog's life source.

I told Sonic to find Mobius and live there and tell no one about it…

Then I used chaos control to get Sonic off of the planet before he was killed…." Fortune explained as tears swelled in her eyes.

"Wait if all of you were killed then how is it the four of you are alive now?" Espio asked in a slight state of shock.

"Because all members of the royal family and those who are connected to it get a second chance at life even more sometimes."

Fortune explained as best she could of the complicated situation.

"I see. And with power like that, Sonic has to keep it a secret." Espio thought aloud putting together what he had been told.

"Exactly, that and he doesn't want to endanger his friends anymore than he has to." Fortune added as they continued walking.

"What do you mean?" Espio asked confused once more.

"The gem contains the true ultimate power only a few know about it and even fewer know who holds it.

Unfortunately, those who know are after it… One of them being Eggman... and others our father and mother they have returned as well…"

Fortune began crying from the memories causing her to stop walking.

Espio stopped and turned to Fortune and wiped her tears.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you cry… Its just I am good at detecting lies and so I can't really help the fact that I like to know the truth."

Espio apologized sensitively as he gently embraced her into a hug.

"Well you're not supposed to make her cry Espio!" Vector scolded from afar slapping his forehead.

"Espio has no talent with girls what so ever." Charmy followed as he continued watching them.

"It's not your fault Espio I don't blame you for wanting to know the truth." Fortune assured him as her crying subsided as they both let go of each other.

"I'm still sorry… We should… Keep going it's not much further from here."

Espio apologized once more as he changed the subject as they began walking again.

About three minutes of walking Fortune and Espio finally came to the Thorndike mansion.

"Wait here for a moment." Espio told Fortune as he entered the garage where everyone was.

"Okay, Knuckles and Shadow you two have to collect blood samples from as many of the new hedgehogs as you can."

Chuck briefed sitting in his chair in front of the D.N.A organizer watching all of his depressed friends and grandson.

"Come on guys lets try and cheer up." Chuck encouraged the group when Espio walked in.

"Is Sonic here? He has someone looking for him." Espio asked keeping what he was told a secret.

"Uh… Sonic… Left about four days ago…" Knuckles admitted with guilt in his voice.

"What?" Fortune asked walking in.

"How did you get here so-?" Espio began before being cut off.

"Where is he?" Fortune asked crossing her arms staring coldly at Knuckles.

"He… He wasn't paying attention to Chuck and Tails so-." Knuckles began before Amy yelled.

"You were the one who ran him off Knuckles! If you didn't rant him like that he would still be here helping us!"

Amy reminded him as she whacked him with her hammer.

"Ow!" Was all Knuckles managed to say before grabbing his head in pain.

"Is this true?" Fortune asked sternly.

"Y-yes…" Knuckles admitted gaining slight fear from the hedgehog's cold look.

Fortune shut her eyes in disgust. 'I came so close to seeing Sonic again and Knuckles ruins it…'

Fortune thought before she opened her eyes again and turned around and began walking out.

"Fortune-." Espio began before being cut off once more.

"I appreciate your help Espio, I will repay you somehow but right now I need to help somebody else!"

Fortune ranted as she paused for a moment at the door. "I'll find Sonic myself tell Vector and Charmy the case is off!"

With that Fortune left at super sonic speed leaving everyone stunned as they watched her.

"Wait!" Espio called out but it was useless she was already too far away for her to hear him.

"She has incredible speed! Espio do you know anything about this?" Chuck asked as he stood up from his seat wide eyed.

"I'm sorry but that's case sensitive." Espio replied coldly before he ran after Fortune.


	4. Sibling Rivalry

Sonic sat on top of the temple at the Mystic Ruins enjoying breeze of the wind while he debated what to do about the return of Zandorf, Gem, Manic, and Sonia.

But no matter how hard he tried to get himself to focus he couldn't.

Suddenly a light humming made him open his eyes to find Bokkun hovering in front of him with a grin on his face.

"Well are you going to say something or just stare at me?" Sonic asked annoyed as Bokkun put his hands on his hips.

"Well see if I tell you that your friends have been tracking your trail!" Bokkun announced as Sonic stood up.

"I guess I should get moving before they get here then," Sonic decided before Bokkun intervened.

"Yeah, it was all over the news this morning, Sonic the Hedgehog disappears! The Thorndike's have even offered an award for your return," Bokkun said while Sonic simply stared at him.

"They're really worried about you Sonic," Bokkun added throwing his arms in a swinging motion.

"Will you cut the lecture? I know they're worried alright! But I'm not in the mood to be interrogated on why I jolted on them in their time of need. So unless you got something else to say get out of my way!" Sonic yelled as Bokkun frowned and sighed.

"Alright, alright I'll butt out! Here I have a message for you," Bokkun said as he placed a TV on the edge of the pillar and turned it on.

"Hello Sonic, or should I say the one who brought us death!" A painfully familiar voice spoke.

"Manic!" Sonic growled staring into the green eyes of the green hedgehog.

"You'll pay for what you've done to the colony, but first I'll make you pay for what you did to Zeena! Then I'll reclaim what is rightfully mine," Manic informed him as Sonic's facial expressions softened.

"You… Don't remember…" Sonic thought aloud before he shook his head.

"I challenge you to a showdown, meet me at Silver Valley, 11:00 am sharp! Don't be late," the screen turned black and Sonic tossed the television into the air.

"Aw man, I thought I totally had you that time!" Bokkun complained as Sonic sped off in the direction of Silver Valley, fearing what Manic would do if he was late.

'Manic, I wasn't the one who killed Zeena. I snuck you out of the palace so that you could join in the funeral…' Sonic thought as he ran in a blur.

"I just hope you know that this kills me more than you think it does…" Sonic prayed unaware that Bokkun pulled out a phone and called the media to inform them of the showdown.

"Still no sign of him?" Chuck assumed walking into the room as Tails stared mindlessly at a radar.

"This isn't like Sonic, Chuck; he has been known to lose his temper sometimes, but not to suddenly disappear…" Tails said with a sigh.

"I think he's a bit disappointed in himself Tails, he's never struck Knuckles in anger," Chuck reminded him as Tails nodded.

"Yeah I guess you're right…" Tails said just as Amy burst into the room.

"Sonic is heading to Silver Valley!" Amy announced as Tails and Chuck smiled.

"Then let's get going!" Tails said eagerly as they all left the room.

The entire valley was silent, the fish stopped swimming, and the birds stopped chirping.

Manic the Hedgehog, his eyes filled with hatred, stared out at the valley.

"11:00 am, right on time Sonic," Manic announced his back turned to the blue hedgehog.

"Manic," Sonic started gently, "I never laid a finger on Zeena in anger, I wasn't the one who killed her."

"Ha, I'm supposed to believe that? Then who did kill her Sonic?" Manic asked turning around.

"You won't like the answer," Sonic admitted as Manic laughed.

"In other words you don't have one," Manic accused after he got control of himself.

"It was our father, Zandorf, Manic, he stabbed her while the two of you were kissing," Sonic conceded hoping to awaken some of his true memories.

"Lies!" Manic yelled, pulling out his drum sticks, and making a crack in the earth between Sonic's feet.

Sonic jumped to avoid falling in, then curled into a ball and shot towards Manic.

Manic in turn dodge and hopped on his board.

"Nice try!" Manic announced running into Sonic with his board and forcing him to uncurl out of his ball.

But this didn't phase Sonic, instead he kicked off of a tree and aimed a punch at Manic.

This time the hit landed and Manic began to plummet down to the water, while Sonic snatched a ride on Manic's flying board.

Now Manic lifted the earth hidden below the water to his feet, not noticing the growing media crowd.

"Hey Vector, you've got to come see this!" Charmy beckoned as Vector opened one eye.

"What is it Charmy? I'm trying to sleep." Vector complained as the bee turned up the volume on the tv.

"We are standing just outside Silver Valley, where it appears that Sonic and another green hedgehog are engaged in battle," The news lady reported as Vector's mouth hung open.

"We have to get to Silver Valley!" Vector said grabbing Charmy and rushing out the door.

"Hey come on I can fly you know!"

Sonic and Manic were head and head in the air, clashing and bouncing off of each other in a wail of speed.

Suddenly Sonic made a change in the pattern, he bounced off of the land pillar and straight into Manic's air board.

This was successful, Manic began to propel downward while Sonic launched into him and landed the two of them on top of the crater.

"It appears you and I are quite evenly matched," Manic smiled mischievously as Sonic smirked.

Sonic and Manic's fists were lost within the other's, neither holding back, neither having any intention of letting go, but neither making a move.

"It would also appear that you and I attract quite a crowd don't we?" Sonic said as Manic glanced around the media that surrounded them.

"Huh," Manic chuckled as they each jumped back.

It was at that moment Manic was caught in an electronic net, forcing him to his knees.

"Manic!" Someone's voice yelled from afar only recognized by Sonic and Manic themselves.

They both turned and saw Sonia trapped in a glass case.

"So-." Manic began before the net shocked him.

He did his best to hold back his pain, but he could only manage them in grunts.

Then something even more unexpected happened, Sonic cut through the net with an energy spear, breaking the electrical current and providing Manic with an escape route.

"What the?" Shadow asked seeing that Sonic had freed the once trapped Manic.

"What on earth is he thinking?" Amy demanded, right as Sonic jumped and to attack the glass cage in his ball form.

Within seconds the glass shattered and Sonic was able to grab Sonia, dodge multiple bullets, and dash away with Sonia in tow.

Manic made his escape while G.U.N was busy with Sonia and Sonic. As he glided in the air at great speed he whispered to himself.

"I don't know what made you do it Sonic, but thank you," Manic thanked as he made way to his father's hideout.

By now Sonic and Sonia had reached the mystic ruins, and they made an abrupt stop.

"T-thank you for saving me," Sonia stuttered as Sonic put her on her feet and began to walk away.

"You'll be safe here for a little while," Sonic said. His heart was heavy with memories.

It had been Sonia and Manic who saved them from Zandorf when he and his sister Fortune were near exhaustion.

"Sonic, I know I have been a cruel person to you all these years but… I want to make it up to you! Zandorf and Gem, I realize now that they are wrong. Please Sonic, I want to be part of your team, I want to help you bring Zandorf and Gem down. Not as a partner, but as your triplet sister, please…" Sonia cried making Sonic turn and look at her in surprise.

"Do, do you really mean that Sonia?" Sonic asked as Sonia nodded and wiped away tears.

"I do Sonic, can we please try to be, a family?" Sonia asked as Sonic smiled.

"Well here I thought we already were sis," Sonic said as Sonia looked up with her green eyes and latched her arms around Sonic's neck.

"Thanks bro," Sonia whispered tears falling from both eyes.

"Just so we're clear on one thing, you were never cruel," Sonic informed her returning the hug.

"We were so close!" Knuckles cursed punching at the wall.

"Why did Mr. Sonic runaway again?" Cream asked as Cheese agreed with a chin chu.

"I don't know, I think there is a deeper problem than we thought," Chris admitted his arms crossed.

"Then maybe it does have something to do with those comets…" Tails reconsidered.

"The question is exactly what is the connection," Chuck announced before shaking his head.

"Hey, you know that brown hedgehog girl that came by the other day?" Amy asked making everyone turn to her.

"Maybe if we find her, and convince her to stay with us, Sonic will come back," Amy suggested before Knuckles shook his head.

"We have no idea what the girl's intentions are! For all we know she could be a spy sent to kill us," Knuckles disagreed.

"Oh says the echidna who listens to Dr. Eggman every time he claims he is a changed man," Amy accused before Chuck spoke up.

"As much as I hate to say it, Knuckles has a point, besides we don't even know where to start looking for this girl," Chuck reminded her.

"Yeah I guess you're right, I just wish he'd come back," Amy prayed looking down, while Shadow placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Fortune the Hedgehog stared out at the remains of the battle between Manic and Sonic.

"Manic… Why can't you see Zandorf's intentions?" Fortune whispered as sunset took over the valley.


	5. Lost and Found

_The night was dark, lightless, and cold, on the edge of Angel Island, sat Knuckles, with his oldest friend, no his only friend, sitting next to him while Knuckles was drowning himself in tears. _

"_I have experience fighting! Why didn't she let me help her?" Knuckles cried as a hand was placed on his shoulder. _

"_I think it's because she didn't want you to get hurt, it's the same thing for when Fortune was protecting me when I was younger," his blue quill friend suggested as Knuckles pushed the hand off. _

"_It's not the same for you two! Fortune isn't even your real mom!" Knuckles yelled as sadness and surprise filled his friend's emerald green eyes. _

"_Maybe she didn't give birth to me, but she does everything I've come to understand a mom does for her children. _

_She cooks me food, tucks me in at night, changed my diapers when I was little, and never fails to tease me that's for sure. _

_Anyway, I guess the truth is, all my life, Fortune was always the one taking care of me, I know she is my sister, but she has been taking care of me like a mother…_

_So yes it is the same between Fortune and I! She is risking her life just to keep me alive! And I think that's why Tikal ordered you to stay back," his blue friend lectured as a brown quill echidna looking hedgehog walked up to the two friends. _

"_I'm so sorry Knuckles there wasn't anything that could be done Tikal is gone."_

Knuckles woke up in a sweat, his heart pounding as he looked around the room, and saw Tails still asleep.

'Why do I remember naming him? Why do I remember naming him Miles?' Knuckles questioned as he continued to struggle with the dream he knew so well.

This wasn't making any sense.

"What were the results of your investigation?" Zandorf immediately asked as Manic clutched his drum sticks and stared at the floor.

"It was as you thought, Sonic has it," Manic announced.

"And why didn't you get it back from him?" Gem demanded as Manic frowned.

"You saw the news; I was caught by an electric net! I didn't have time to-." Manic began before Zandorf shoved him and Manic hit the wall.

"Why didn't you win the battle for the emerald?" Zandorf demanded.

"I had my own score to settle first father, he killed Zeena I couldn't let him get away with it!" Manic yelled in defense as Zandorf grunted.

"All Zeena was, was a filthy outlaw that wiggled her way into your heart," Zandorf accused as he turned away from his son and growled.

"You're wrong Father! I let Zeena into my heart!" Manic conceded as Zandorf turned and frowned at him disapprovingly.

"You are going to find Sonic, and retrieve the emerald this time," Zandorf ordered as he began walking out of the room.

"Go!" He said as he disappeared with Gem into a separate room, leaving Manic alone in the empty room, where he silently released tears.

"So what's our next move bro?" Sonia asked as she and Sonic stood together inside the temple of mystic ruins.

"Well since you had blood drawn while you were still trapped, from what I remember from that lecture of Tails's, he can use it to pin point your exact location," Sonic explained leaning against the wall and frowning.

"So I believe first order of business is to find a new hiding place," Sonic announced as Sonia nodded.

"Right, but I believe you and I are going to have to find several new hiding places, depending on how far the blood goes," Sonia suggested.

"Question is, where," Sonic said when Sonia came up with an idea.

"We got the emerald right bro?" Sonia asked as Sonic nodded.

"Yeah, meaning," Sonic said as the two began to smile.

"We can hide out in Sanctuary!" Both said at once as they laughed.

"It so helps when we can read each other's mind," Sonia said as Sonic nodded in agreement.

"Attention hedgehogs! Put your hands in the air and walk slowly out of the temple!" A police officer ordered suddenly making Sonic and Sonia silence.

Unknown to them, hiding among the trees was Fortune the hedgehog, glaring at the army of GUN men daring to point weapons on her little sister and brother.

"Not while I'm around you're not," Fortune growled charging a beam.

"Sonic the hedgehog, why have you turned on us?" One of the soldiers asked as they sent robots into the entrance of the temple.

The robots immediately began shooting at the two hedgehogs, thankfully they were bad shots, but this in turn began to cause random explosions, soon making the entire environment around them walls of flames.

By instinct, Sonic launched an attack on the incoming robots, which destroyed it on contact, but then he noticed something else.

He couldn't control his power!

"Sonia quick take the Rainbow Chaos Emerald!" Sonic demanded as Sonia ran over and took the emerald.

"What's wrong Sonic?" Sonia asked panicked as Sonic began to glow.

"Get out of here Sonia!" Sonic ordered. "I can't control this power! You have to leave!"

"But what about?" Sonia began before her brother yelled again.

"I'll be fine! Just go!" Sonic demanded struggling to stay on his feet while Sonia released tears and yelled the words chaos control.

It was at the instant that Sonia shouted these words, that Fortune released her beam, and Sonic's uncontrollable power unleashed.

This wave of blue light destroyed all technology in the area, knocked all the soldiers off their feet, and as well extinguished the flames in the halls of the mystic ruins.

Fortune's beam, took their memory of the event completely away, as well as caused them to pass out temporarily.

"Try to hurt my brother and get away with it I don't think so!" Fortune yelled as she began to take a step toward them, then finding that she both over did the beam, and was still regaining strength from rebirthing.

She felt herself falling to her knees, but she was caught mid fall by someone who had managed to catch her.

But no one was there!

"Oh great, now my brother is an emotional wreck, and I'm losing it! Just great!" Fortune growled as an arm began to appear around her waist.

"If it's any help you aren't losing it," a familiar voice said making Fortune turn to find Espio.

"Espio?" She gasped feeling her face turn red.

"After you ran off I began to track your trail, I could tell that you were still weak," Espio began feeling his face turn red as well.

"You remind of someone…" Fortune whispered not realizing that she had said that aloud.

"Of who?" Espio asked as Fortune's blush deepened further.

"Of someone who personally guarded me, he was a lot like you," Fortune admitted as Espio picked her up and jumped out of the tree.

"I see, that power there, that blue power I mean, was that Sonic?" Espio asked when suddenly Dr. Eggman appeared.

"Well I'll be, Fortune the hedgehog! I didn't think you'd be among those comets!" Eggman chuckled as Fortune frowned.

"Robotnick, I thought I ended your life," Fortune growled.

"As did I, unfortunately that brother Sonic of yours doesn't know when to give does he? Yet you wiped his memory, what kind of makeshift mother are you?" Eggman chuckled loading a gun.

Fortune in turn got to her feet, and began charging another beam. "Sonic is like a son to me, I took care of him since the day he was born. Manic, Sonia, and Sonic, my siblings, but I've always loved each of them as my children.

And you had the heart to take that away from me!" Fortune yelled tears falling from her eyes.

Suddenly, Espio stepped in front of her, pulling out a ninja star.

"Go find your brother! I'll hold him off!" Espio insisted, now having a new hatred for Eggman develop in the pit of his stomach.

Perhaps these feelings for Fortune were real.

"Espio, thank you," was all Fortune could say with her tightening throat as she ran off to locate her brother.

Sonic stood on one of the forest's many trails, stunned at the fact that he was still standing.

He had had sudden power burst like that before, that came up with the same results, but he used to be able to control these outbursts, and when he did channel one of these outbursts, he would usually pass out after ward.

"I don't get it; I was able to control these powers before…" Sonic thought aloud, wishing even more that Fortune was here.

"Sonic," a female voice suddenly said, making Sonic turn thinking it was Sonia, only to find, someone else.

"Fortune?" Sonic whispered tears swelling in his eyes.

All at once, Sonic and Fortune met in a hug, each falling to their knees, both of them having tears stream down their face.

For a moment, all of Sonic's problems melted away, nothing mattered other than the fact that Fortune was here with him.

Sonia, now boarding on Sanctuary, was watching them with the rainbow chaos emerald, and smiling.

"They're together again," Sonia whispered tears of happiness falling from her eyes.

She would go and fetch Sonic and Fortune, but she knew, not even Eggman would have the heart to break them up.

She would let them catch up first.

_e miogf accused as he turned away from his son and your brother? o the roof. , imself in tears. _


	6. Brother My Brother

_She was a pale green hedgehog, wearing a long white skirt, and white belly shirt. _

_She had blue eyes, and a leaf medallion. _

_Her name was Zeena; and Manic was desperately in love with her. _

But who killed her? Manic wasn't sure anymore.

If it was Sonic as he originally thought, why would he save him? If it was Zandorf… then why didn't he remember?

"Nonsense Manic! If it was Zandorf then why would he tell you it was Sonic?" Manic attempted to tell himself.

Because Zandorf despises him.

"It would make sense… Zandorf hates Sonic, but why would he turn me against him when I'm against him already?" Manic questioned again as he flew through the air on his air board.

It was exactly at this moment, that Manic's board was struck, and he found himself falling.

"Hedgehog hit, commencing capture," a gun soldier briefed as he flew the plane over close to the hedgehog.

Manic growled, the smoke had sedatives mixed into it, he couldn't move at all.

His powers were useless unless he was able to move his hands.

"I have to get to my board," Manic said as he attempted once more to move.

"Say goodnight hedgehog," the soldier said as he launched an electric net onto Manic and managed to catch him.

As much as Manic tried, he couldn't stand the pain that surrounded him, and soon found himself in darkness.

"Okay everyone, I have brought you here, because I have good news," Chuck began as everyone looked at him expectantly.

"As you know, the dna organizer can pinpoint someone's exact location, meaning that if we find something with Sonic's DNA on it," Chuck began before Amy cheered.

"We can find Sonic!" Amy yelled happily as everyone else followed in her cheers.

"But Chuck, it's been almost a week now, what are the chances we find something Sonic's DNA now?" Tails asked as everyone sighed.

"Yes, indeed, that is troublesome, but we can't give up right?" Chuck asked as Tails and the others nodded.

"Right."

"So what was that power Sonic?" Sonia asked confused as the reunited siblings sat in a circle in the remains of Sanctuary.

The bright green grass was back, as well as some of the trees, but the planet was far from livable for more than a few hours at a time.

"I'm not entirely sure, Zaldin taught me how to control these powers, but for some reason I can't now… and before, I would pass out afterward," Sonic explained looking down at his hands.

"Hedgehogs part of the Rainbow emerald clan have medallions because at fifteen, their powers reach their maximum, and without the medallion present, their powers may be too much for them to handle," Fortune explained as she placed Sonic's medallion in his hands.

"So if I wear this again, I'll be able to control these power outbursts?" Sonic asked as Fortune smiled and nodded.

"I feel… Weird…" Sonia said suddenly making Sonic and Fortune look toward her.

"Like something's happened," Sonic announced as Sonia nodded and Fortune gasped.

"You two are right! Manic, has been captured!" Fortune yelled as the three siblings stood up, and Sonic put on his medallion.

"Fortune can you see where?" Sonic asked as Fortune nodded.

"Area sixteen… cell ninety-two…" Fortune answered as she strained with the numbers.

"That's not far from Silver Valley!" Sonic announced.

"Sonic, I think he's paralyzed!" Fortune announced as Sonia and Sonic gasped.

"What?" They both said at once.

"We have to get him out of there!" Sonia insisted as Sonic and Fortune nodded.

"Well I guess you know you're having a bad day when becoming temporarily paralyzed is not the worst thing that happens to you," Manic sighed cursing that he was so distracted by his thoughts, that he failed to notice a giant ball that was coming at him.

Manic stared motionlessly at nothing in particular, careless that he may never get out of this cell.

He already avenged Zeena anyway.

Manic gasped.

_Zeena and Manic stood together side by side, near the cliff, holding hands. _

"_So it was you who saved my life?" Manic asked as Zeena nodded shyly. _

"_Yes, I was the warrior that was pulling you through the castle when the Nocturne were attacking the clan," Zeena explained as Manic smiled. _

"_I never did get to thank you properly," Manic pointed out as Zeena smiled. _

"_I couldn't reveal my face to you during the ceremony, I would have been killed for being a female in the army," Zeena conceded as Manic nodded with understanding. _

"_Still I should thank you appropriately, otherwise it wouldn't be noble of me, what to do," Manic said as he turned toward her and smiled. _

"_Really Manic you don't need to thank me," Zeena began before she was met with Manic's lips. _

_Zeena and Manic sank into the kiss blush entirely apparent on Zeena's face._

_Both of them were lost in the heat of their own world, oblivious of their surroundings. _

_Suddenly Zeena broke from the kiss, and Manic opened his eyes and caught her as she began to fall. _

"_Manic…" She gasped as her puncture wound that went through her stomach and lower back, began bleeding, staining her white skirt. _

"_Zeena!" Manic yelled trying desperately to stop the bleeding. _

_But as he worked, the life was fading in Zeena's eyes, she coughed up blood and clutched Manic's hand. _

"_I love you Manic…" Zeena said smiling as her eyes began closing. _

"_I love you too Zeena! There's no one else I would rather have be my queen you'll accept won't you?" Manic asked in attempts to keep her conscious._

"_There's nothing I'd love to do more…" Zeena whispered her eyes fully closing. _

"_Hey I know! We can have a picnic at Spirit Lake together! Chase fireflies, climb to the top of Mystic Ruins, live our lives in happiness… Right Zeena?" Manic asked tears streaming down his face. _

"_Zeena?" Manic cried again when a shadow was cast upon the two lovers. _

"_Are you seriously crying over an outlaw?" A dark voice belonging to Zandorf asked as Manic looked up. _

"_You did this?" Manic demanded as Zandorf shrugged. _

"_She wasn't worthy anyway, come along," Zandorf demanded as Manic stood and looked down at Zeena's bloody body. _

"_How could you?" Manic demanded as Zandorf seized his wrist and slapped Manic's face. _

"_Get inside!" Zandorf demanded pushing Manic forward as Manic got to his feet and ran to his room. _

"Zandorf did kill her… Meaning that Zeena hasn't been avenged yet…" Manic thought aloud trying to once more to move.

But it was still useless, and by the time the sedative wore off, the guards would be back to add another one.

He would never be free, he would never be able to avenge Zeena.

He we would never get to apologize to his siblings or have the brother and sisters he always wanted.

The family he always wanted.

Like they'd want anything to do with him now anyway.

Suddenly Manic heard the crunching of metal, making him look up to find a disappearing vent cover, and Sonic and Sonia dropping from the ceiling.

"Remind me not to make you mad," Sonic said to Sonia as she smiled.

"It's much easier to crunch metal and bones now that my powers are fully recharged," Sonia pointed out as Manic blinked in surprise.

"Can you move Manic?" Sonic asked his brother who was leaning against the wall motionlessly.

"Why do you care?" Manic asked when he was suddenly caught in another state of remembrance.

_Manic felt horrible, his pillow was wet with tears, his cheek red from the slap more than two hours ago, and his true love was gone. _

_He wished he'd just die, just go to the funeral and just die. _

_Suddenly he heard a tap on the window. _

_Unwillingly Manic lifted his head and turned his head toward the glass, surprised to find the most famous blue hedgehog standing on the ledge of the castle wall. _

_Quickly he got out of his bed and rushed toward the window, opened it, and soon found himself staring into the emerald eyes of the blue hedgehog. _

_The blue hedgehog who everyone had been looking for, ever since he was born. _

_He didn't know why, but Manic felt like he met this hedgehog before, but how? As far as he knew he never knew any blue hedgehogs save for the ones he was forced to watch be killed by his father. _

"_Hey Manic," he greeted giving a half smile. _

"_How do you know my name!" Manic demanded, preparing to call for the guards. _

"_Zeena talked about you all the time, plus you're a prince aren't you? Everyone knows your name by face," the blue hedgehog pointed out before shaking his head. _

"_Anyway, I'll just get to the point, the funeral for Zeena is tomorrow, and if you'd like I can sneak you out of here without your father seeing you," he offered as Manic gasped then huffed in disapproval. _

"_How do I know you're not trying to drag me out of here so you can kill me?" Manic demanded looking down. _

"_Would you care if that were the case? I know the only thing you want to do is die, go to the funeral and just die suddenly," the blue hedgehog pointed out making Manic gasp. _

_That blue hedgehog was right on his feelings. _

"_I still fail to understand why I should trust you," Manic frowned. "I don't even know how you know Zeena." _

"_You should trust me because I am purposely putting my life on the line here, and because I care about both you and Zeena. _

_Zeena was a lot like a sister to me, and I know how happy you made her, so if you just trust me, I can get you to the funeral without your father noticing," the blue hedgehog promised. _

_Something about him, made Manic believe him, it was like mutual trust, exactly like what he had with Sonia. _

"_What's your name?" Manic asked as the blue hedgehog gave another half smile. _

"_Sonic, Sonic the hedgehog, I won't kill you, but I will take you to the funeral," Sonic promised as Manic nodded. _

"_Alright then Sonic, if you will take me to the funeral, if you trust me I will not reveal your location, and we will forget that this meeting ever happened," Manic promised as Sonic smiled. _

"_You've got a deal." _

_At these words, Manic hoped onto Sonic's back clutching tightly as they ran at high speeds that he'd only see his father accomplish. _

_He couldn't help but wonder if there was another reason why Zandorf hated Sonic so much. _

"Manic?" A gentle female voice said suddenly pulling Manic out of his state of trance.

"Huh? Wait when did you get here?" Manic asked the brown hedgehog as she frowned.

"I got here three minutes ago Manic," Fortune replied shaking her head as Sonic and Sonia stared at him with worry.

"Manic you aren't looking well," Sonia pointed out as Manic frowned.

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!" a voice suddenly yelled on the intercom as Manic struggled once more to move.

"You guys need to get going," Manic said finding that attempt was useless.

Suddenly Sonic pulled Manic's arms of his shoulders, and then picked up Manic's legs, making sure he was steady.

"Correction we need to get going, you aren't in this alone Manic," Sonic said with a smile as Manic blinked in surprise.

"We're going to need to split up, Sonic, you and Manic get to the nearest exit possible, Sonia and I will distract the guards from you," Fortune promised.

"Couldn't we just use the emerald?" Sonia asked as Sonic shook his head.

"There is too much interference here, we wouldn't be able to use it correctly," Sonic explained as Sonia nodded.

"Alright then let's do this," Sonia said right as a GUN soldier appeared from behind the cell.

"Sonic?" The solider stated with shock as Fortune used a chaos spear on the bars and Sonic, Fortune, and Manic sped off.

"Sorry little lady you're not going anywhere," the solider said as Sonia smiled and began a super spin.

In an instant, the soldier was spinning in circles at high speed while Sonia managed to release herself from the hold.

"Oh I'm sorry did you wanna stop too?" Sonia asked before she giggled and left to catch up with her siblings.

"This stupid place is full of cameras! If they see us, we're toast," Sonic growled as Fortune nodded.

"I hear you bro, I'll go first, while I'm busy with the guards you and Manic go to the north west exit," Fortune briefed as Sonic nodded.

"Gotcha, be careful," Sonic warned adjusting Manic again.

Normally if it were just him he could get out of here in a flash, but with Manic barely able to hold on, going fast was just not an option.

"Hold on tight Manic, we're going to be in for a bumpy ride," Sonic said as Manic attempted to strengthen his hold on Sonic.

Fortune was off, and in an instant the guards appeared with guns in their hands ready to fight off Fortune.

"Your time ends here hedgehog!" the leader screamed as Fortune simply smiled.

"Is that so? Well then, if that is the case, go ahead, take me from the world," Fortune encouraged as the guns began firing.

"Is she crazy?" Manic demanded watching in horror.

Suddenly Fortune received a light brown aura to her, and the bullets stopped in mid air, just inches from her body.

"Go!" Fortune yelled as Sonic dashed out from behind the corner and somehow managed to jump over the guards, then dodge the new bullets without either him or Manic getting injured.

"Sonic! Manic!" Sonia shouted finally catching up to her siblings.

"Sonia you need to go help Fortune!" Manic insisted as she nodded.

"Yeah I know, here," Sonia said tossing the rainbow chaos emerald to Sonic.

"You're going to need it more than I will," Sonia said as Sonic nodded and winked.

"I'll see you two outside sis," Sonic promised as she nodded and turned back around to help her sister.

"Are you sure they'll be okay?" Manic asked with concern as Sonic nodded.

"Don't worry Manic, those two can take care of themselves," Sonic promised as he continued to run.

"How can you be so sure of that?" Manic demanded right as they were met by an army of gun men.

"Games up, Sonic the hedgehog," a soldier announced as Sonic smirked.

"Is that so? You seem to be very confident," Sonic pointed out as the soldiers readied their guns.

"We out number you Sonic," the soldier said as Sonic laughed.

"Yeah I guess you're right, alright I'll corporate, but first you have to catch me," Sonic said as he let go of Manic's legs and held on tightly to his hands.

In a swift move, Sonic began to run at about half speed, for the sake of Manic.

It was slower than Sonic preferred, but it would still manage to get them past the gun soldiers.

"Are you all insane? We could have died!" Manic scolded as Sonic smiled.

"Well you're alive aren't you?" Sonic asked as they met back up with Sonia and Fortune.

"Please don't tell me you were running at high speeds with Manic barely able to hold on," Fortune said noticing Sonic's hold on Manic.

"Yeah sure let's go with that," Sonic said as he moved his hands back under Manic's legs.

"Come on we're almost home free guys, lets get out of here," Sonia said pointing to the exit.

"Wait!" Manic yelled suddenly making the three stop.

"This hallway is over running with info red lasers! If we hit one we are literally toast!" Manic announced as Sonic nodded.

"Looks like it's time for a time stop," Sonic said as he handed Sonia the emerald.

"Time stop!" Sonia shouted and all at once everything, save for the siblings, stopped moving.

"Stand back!" Fortune ordered pulling out a bag of sand, that she prepared for an event like this.

She launched the sand at the hallway instantly revealed the location of the lasers.

Thankfully, Gun was bad at security.

"Lets go!" Fortune shouted as the three siblings took off, avoiding the beams with a decent level of speed.

Due to the interference, the time stop had less time than normal.

By the time Sonic and Manic made it across the very last beam, the time stop ran out and alarms were going off in all directions.

"The doors closing!" Sonia shouted as Fortune grabbed Sonia's hand and begun to drag her at super speed while Sonic picked up his own speed.

"Hold on tight Manic!" Sonic shouted as he felt Manic's strength return, and began running at high speeds.

"We'll never make it!" Manic denied still not believing that Sonic was doing all this for him.

"Guess again!" Sonic yelled as he began running at super sonic speed.

"Woah!" Manic screamed fearing he would fall off, but Sonic kept a firm hold upon him.

Sonic wasn't going to let him go…

The two managed to get through the door at the last second, Sonic having to make a dive to make it, and were soon greeted by Sonia and Fortune.

"We can't stay here long, come on we need to get to Silver Valley," Fortune said as she and Sonia began running toward silver valley, while Sonic got back to his feet and followed his sisters.

Five minutes later, they arrived at Silver Valley, where they finally stopped to rest.

Manic let go of Sonic, who carefully released him and made sure he was steady enough to stand on his own.

"I don't know how we managed to do it, but we made it out alive and with Manic," Sonia said exhaling while Sonic turned toward Manic.

Here they were exactly six years later, staring into each other's emerald green eyes, with the same mutual trust that was present back then.

'My brother,' Manic thought.

"Sonic the hedgehog, I see we finally meet again," a dark male voice suddenly said making Sonic turn to an all too familiar face.

"Zandorf," Sonic growled as Zandorf smiled stepping out of the shadow.

"And Fortune the Hedgehog, two of Sanctuary's most famous outlaws," Zandorf added as Fortune glared at the hedgehog who fathered her.

"What do you mean famous outlaws? Manic and I never knew that we had a brother and sister until you called Fortune an illegitimate daughter during battle!" Sonia yelled as Manic gasped in another trance of sudden remembrance.

_The crowd was growing by the second, all captivated by the single blue hedgehog, only ten years of age, battling the king. _

"_If you don't get the hedgehogs off of this planet soon, everyone will die! You have to get everyone away from here!" The blue hedgehog cried, struggling to stand as Zandorf begun to charge another beam. _

"_I do not listen to outlaws such as yourself!" Zandorf said he launched the beam only to watch Sonic dodge it. _

_Manic watched the battle in horror; he knew that disobeying his father would bring severe consequences, but he knew that Sonic wouldn't risk his life like this unless he really meant he was saying. _

_Cursed color or not, there was a trust in him, and a debt to be repaid. _

_Just as he was about to make a move however, Zandorf landed a hit on the blue hedgehog forcing the ten year old to the ground. _

"_Your life ends here," Zandorf announced walking toward the blue hedgehog with a spear in his hand. _

"_Sonic…" Manic whispered tears falling from his eyes. _

_He could feel Sonic's pain, the pain of failure, of fear. _

_Why could he feel this? How did Manic know Sonic's feelings? How could he read this blue hedgehog just as well as he could Sonia?_

_Why did he always have the feeling that they had known each other all their lives?_

_Suddenly Fortune appeared in front of Zandorf, getting stabbed in the shoulder, taking the blow of the spear for Sonic, just like any good older sister would. _

"_Fortune…" Zandorf growled as he stared into the emerald eyes of the brown hedgehog. _

"_You illegitimate child!" Zandorf yelled as Manic and Sonia gasped. _

_That was when it all began to piece together. _

_Fortune, Sonic, Sonia, and Manic all had the same eyes because they were all of royal blood, the name Fortune whispered between castle servants was the first born that no one was aloud to talk about, and the reason why Sonia and Manic could feel everything that Sonic felt, was because they were not born in twins as their father said._

_But they were really born as triplets, triplets separated at birth, triplets only saved by Fortune the hedgehog who took the blue hedgehog and raised him. _

"_If you want to kill Sonic, you have to go through me first! You may have stopped me from saving Manic and Sonia, but as they remain my siblings they are the most important people in my life. _

_For once Zandorf; do something for the good of the colony, and evacuate them before it's too late!_

_You've seen the signs too Zandorf! I know because you and I have the same powers of prediction. _

_The rain of chaos was a sign of what was to come!" Fortune warned as Zandorf performed a chaos spear and managed to land Fortune next to Sonic. _

"_I am doing what is right for my colony, and that is ending Sonic's life; and if I have to get through you to do it, then so be it," Zandorf announced as he began charging an extremely powerful chaos beam. _

_It looked like the end for Fortune and Sonic, they were too weak to move, had no chance of escape, and had failed to do anything this time. _

_But Manic wouldn't have it though, he watched way too many fall from his father's wrath, he would not lose the true family that he and Sonia found within the two siblings. _

_All at once Zandorf unleashed his beam, Sonia and Manic dashed toward their fallen siblings, Manic lifted the earth into a stone shield which absorbed the blast, and Sonia kicked Manic's earth shield into their unsuspecting father._

"_What?" Zandorf yelped being knocked to the ground by the giant rock. _

"_We are all of your blood Zandorf; if we band together, then we can bring you down," Manic announced once the smoke cleared and the two siblings looked up at Manic with shock. _

"_And if you mess with one of us," Sonia began as Sonic and Fortune got up to their feet. _

"_You mess with all of us," Sonic said reading his triplet sister's mind. _

"_And I don't take kindly to being messed with," Manic growled. "So you listen to what Sonic says and evacuate the planet!" _

"_You may be my son Manic, but you have yet to earn your right to the crown, or my approval for that matter," Zandorf chuckled as Fortune scowled. _

"_Manic doesn't need your approval; as long as he is my younger brother, I accept the responsibility of taking care of him, he shall always have my love, and as long as he does what is right, he shall have my approval," Fortune conceded. _

It was then that Manic came back to reality, seeing his brother, two sisters, and his father stand ten feet from each other.

"Fine then, if you will not give me the emerald, I will take it from you by force," Zandorf announced throwing a speed punch at Sonic which he was starting dodge when suddenly Manic got in front of him and lifted the ground from below his father's feet, knocking Zandorf into the air.

"Manic what are you doing? They are the enemy," Zandorf announced as Manic lifted more giant rocks from the ground.

"No Zandorf you are, where were you when I was paralyzed and trapped in a cell? You've lied to me all my life, you lied to me about my siblings, you lied to me about the end of Sanctuary, and you lied to me about Zeena!

So step away from my siblings, because I am done with you; and I will not hesitate in beating the crap out of you. The emerald belongs to us!" Manic preached gaining smiles of happiness from his siblings.

"You are dead to me," Zandorf announced as Manic smiled.

"As are you to me," Manic said as Sonic pulled out the rainbow chaos emerald and shouted chaos control.

In an instant the four were gone; leaving behind Zandorf as he smirked at the empty spot.

"Step one complete. Enjoy the time you have my children, because I shall soon cast your souls into the empty winds.

By the time I'm done with you, everyone will turn against you, and even I cannot fight everyone," Zandorf announced as he chuckled evilly.

"Can you find it in your heart to forgive me bro? I was wrong to think you killed Zeena, I complete forgot that you were the one who snuck me out to go to the funeral, that you were one of her best friends.

I was completely and utterly wrong, and I'm sorry," Manic apologized as the siblings stood in a circle in Sanctuary.

"Are you kidding? Of course I forgive you! We're brothers aren't we? Listen Manic, you could call me any name under the sun and I'd still laugh and say 'that's nice, you wanna go air boarding?'" Sonic said as Manic looked at him with surprise.

"Well you are going to teach me aren't you? I mean seriously, the four of us have this entire planet to ourselves and we're going to have to be here a lot; so it's going to get boring pretty fast unless we can race! So what do you say?" Sonic insisted as Manic nodded and smiled sincerely for the first time in a long while.

With this he and Sonic put their arms in together in an "x", looked into each other's emerald green eyes and with this, marked the start of their brotherhood that they had long held off.

"It's a deal!" Manic agreed.

"I went to Gun today for an update," Shadow announced as Chuck turned around in his chair and looked at Shadow who was hold a box.

"What's the news?" Chuck asked as Shadow frowned.

"They captured the green hedgehog, but Sonic and two others broke into their base and escaped with him.

I fear that Sonic might be helping the enemy…" Shadow conceded as Chuck shook his head.

"Now, now Shadow, let's not jump to conclusions, especially not at one a clock in the morning," Chuck insisted.

"You're the one who ordered that we speak when no one else was awake to hear. You are just as suspicious of Sonic's actions as I am, but you fear what the others will do if they found out of your suspicions," Shadow accused as Chuck sighed.

"Indeed his behavior since the hedgehogs and the comets appeared, has been odd, as far as we know, Sonic has had unstable emotions caused by unknown conflicts of his past, bad enough to make him react should a certain echidna push him simply too far, he released the pink hedgehog, he resisted GUN forces, and most of all rescued the green hedgehog that he was originally fighting.

Then that brown hedgehog came by looking for him, and left using super speed when she found out he wasn't here anymore. All of this is strange.

Even so, I don't think Sonic is exactly working for the enemy, I think there are some unknown motives for Sonic's actions. Motives that we must figure out if we are to find and get him back," Chuck explained as Shadow huffed.

"Well there was some good news, two adult hedgehogs, Zandorf and Gem, surrendered their blood, they also gave us the blood of the brown hedgehog that was by here a few days ago.

Apparently they encountered her when they woke up on this planet and managed to draw some blood from her while she was still passed out.

Unfortunately, Zandorf and Gem haven't explained exactly as to why they wanted her blood in the first place. Nonetheless; we now have the blood from Zandorf, Gem, the green hedgehog, the pink hedgehog, and the brown hedgehog," Shadow explained as Chuck smiled.

"Then we are one step further to solving this mystery."

Sleep had overtaken Sonia and Sonic as the two slept five feet away from the fire they had built.

Manic too was lying down, dead tierd, but he could sleep. It wasn't that he minded sleeping on the ground, it was more that the days events, and the sudden memories were overshadowing the need for sleep.

He sat up and noticed that Fortune was missing, which made Manic worry.

Thankfully however, Manic saw her sitting on the top of a small hill looking up at the stars.

Getting up Manic began to walk over to his older sibling, deciding to join her in her gaze.

"Can't sleep either?" Fortune asked turning her head to Manic and smiling.

"You are psychic," Manic said as Fortune smiled and motioned for Manic to sit next to her.

Willingly he did, feeling comforted by the slightly heated grass rubbing against his quills, finally coming to the point where he could relax even if just a little.

"Fortune, did you mean what you said five years ago? That as long as I was doing the right thing you would always approve of me?" Manic asked after a moment's silence.

"Unlike our father, I don't lie about my feelings. During the years when Sonic and I were out in hiding, there wasn't a day that I didn't long for you and Sonia.

I love you, Sonic, and Sonia with all my heart, that didn't change just because I couldn't grab you two in time. If I had the chance to make sure I made it out with all three of you I'd do it in a heartbeat.

So yes, the same love I hold for Sonic is the same for you and Sonia, and as long as you are happy, healthy, and doing what you feel is right, then you shall always have my approval," Fortune assured him as Manic felt tears fall down his face.

"I don't get it Fortune, how can someone like you be born from such cruel people?" Manic asked as Fortune looked down.

"Well you see Manic, I used to have a guardian, whom I was desperately in love with.

I spent the majority of my time with him, and he was the kindest hedgehog in the world.

His name was Mathies; and I guess I just picked up on his example and became who I am today.

When he died getting revenge for Sonic, I made a promise that I would keep Sonic alive no matter what, and that I would never become the cruel person my parents are," Fortune explained as Manic nodded.

"You are the best older sister Fortune," Manic said as Fortune laughed.

"No, but I'm the best you got," Fortune said as Manic laughed and playfully shoved her.

"Don't go dicing my sister!" Manic said as they both laughed again.

"Well come on kid, it's an ungodly hour of the night, and I'm positive that we could use the sleep," Fortune said as they stood up.

"Right; and Fortune," Manic began.

"Yes Manic?" Fortune asked as Manic smiled.

"Thank you, for caring for me when it seemed like no one else did," Manic thanked as Fortune smiled.

"No matter what Manic, we will always be there for you, as Sonic said," Fortune began pausing for effect.

"You are not in this alone."


	7. Double Agent

_Knuckles had come to know Angel island as a place where he was always safe; where he would play with the chao and be dotted on by his mother. _

_Angel Island was a refuge for he and his only friend Sonic, where they could run and play freely without fear of being discovered and thrown in jail to later be killed. _

_With the seven chaos emeralds in place around the Master Emerald, the words his mother made him recite every night, it seemed that these gems would protect them forever. _

_But today everything about Angel Island being safe was thrown out the window. _

_Angel Island was completely on fire! The pillars that once gave Angel Island beauty had been torn down, fallen Chao strung about, echidnas blinded by greed, destroying everything in sight. _

_Together, Knuckles and his mother Tikal stood in front of the Master Emerald praying that it would provide them help. _

"_Master Emerald what must we do?" Tikal asked as the Master Emerald spun around crazily in circles; brightening and dimming every second. _

"_I'll hold them off!" Knuckles said as he turned around and began to charge at the army of echidnas, then was caught by his mother's forceful hands. _

"_You will do nothing of the sort!" Tikal said defiantly as Knuckles attempted to struggle out of his mother's hold. _

"_I have experience fighting mom! I can take these guys!" Knuckles insisted as his mother shook her head. _

"_I'm not going to take that risk Knuckles!" Tikal announced as she let tears release. "Stay back; no matter what don't let them see you! And never forget the words I have told you." _

"_But mom you can't-," Knuckles attempted to object before Tikal shouted. _

"_That is an order!" Tikal said as Knuckles felt tears fall down his face, and he left to find refuge a few feet away from the Master Emerald shrine. _

"_Tikal," Knuckles heard one of the echidnas say as he watched his mother stand with her arms spread out. _

"_Father please; you can't do this!" Tikal begged as the dark brown echidna looked at her crossly. _

"_The emerald is needed to protect our empire Tikal; you have kept this hidden for long enough!" Tikal's father said as the army of echidnas began to charge through the remaining chao and Tikal. _

"_Ah!" Tikal yelled as a blade grazed her abdomen. _

"_No!" Knuckles shouted right as the water began to suck in the chaos emeralds. _

"_What?" The echidnas gasped as a large water beast began to form. _

"_!" the water creature roared the echidnas were swept away by streams of water, taking with it the surrounding flames. _

"_Mom!" Knuckles shouted as the water beast turned to Tikal and seemed ready to attack. _

_It was then that Knuckles rushed out of his hiding spot and towards his mother who was lying motionless in a growing puddle of blood. _

_Seeing this made Knuckles's temper rise; so he turned to the water creature and readied a punch at it. _

_The monster seeing this attack; launched a water blast at Knuckles and growled in disapproval. _

"_You monster!" Knuckles shouted as he jumped up to punch the water creature; only to be caught in mid air by a blue blur who forced him to the ground right as the blast was about to hit him. _

_The two crashed only few feet away from the base of the water beast; where Knuckles attempted to struggle out of the hold of the blue hedgehog, and the blue hedgehog growling as he held the struggling echidna back. _

"_Don't be stupid Knuckles! You'll only end up getting hurt!" The blue hedgehog, Knuckles recognized as his friend, said making Knuckles lower his fist. _

_Suddenly the water beast wrapped itself around the blue hedgehog and began to pull him away. _

"Sonic!" Knuckles shouted opening his eyes, and sitting up to find himself drenched in sweat.

"What? Sonic, where?" Tails asked sitting up and looking frantically around the room.

"It, it's nothing Tails… It was just a dream…" Knuckles said breathing heavily. But was that just a dream?

Or… Was it a memory?

Knuckles had to fix this! Ever since Sonic left Knuckles started to have weird dreams that seemed to be gradually going back in time, aside from that, whether he liked it or not; Sonic was still his friend.

And perhaps Knuckles had been a bit harsh on him.

"Okay; but just why should I help YOU dig through garbage?" Rouge asked hovering with her wings, as she stared down at Knuckles.

The garbage, Rouge was referring to, was the dump they were in. A dump, Knuckles had brought Rouge to a dump; that smelled horrific, and went on for miles, but most of all; Rouge was drug here at 4:30 in the morning.

"Look; I know that I can find something with Sonic's dna on it if I look around in here," Knuckles began avoiding breathing through his nose.

"Again I ask why should I help you dig through garbage?" Rouge asked again holding her nose.

"Because we need to find Sonic asap! With the combined skills of us treasure hunters, we'll find it faster!" Knuckles argued as Rouge shook her head.

"I don't think garbage is considered treasure Knuckie, I only let you take me out this early in the morning because I thought you may have planned something romantic for me, next time you wake me from beauty sleep you'd better have at least a nice breakfast for me," Rouge informed him before beginning away.

"Wait Rouge please! I feel horrible for making Sonic run away like that, and I really want to make it right, please help me out?" Knuckles begged as Rouge looked at him and gave him a smile.

"I'll make you a deal I help you find what you're looking for, then you have to take me out on a real date," Rouge baited getting so close to him that their noses were touching.

"I thought you were just kidding about that!" Knuckles said blushing.

"So sue me, I like you, but you do not know how to take a lady on a date. Do we have a deal?" Rouge emphasized as Knuckles shut his eyes and pulled away.

"You've a got a deal," Knuckles agreed still blushing.

"Good lets, get started then," Rouge said as they began the search.

"Wait a minute… Did I really just accept a date with Rouge?"

Charmy hid inside a metal cabinet, watching several hedgehogs of varying colors speak amoung one another in a hushed, formal, matter.

He had been on their trail ever since the fight between Sonic, and whom Charmy deduced to be Manic, and while he failed to find the brothers, he did manage to locate several other hedgehogs possibly related to the case.

Thus far, all conversations were vague, but there were hints to suggest that they were planning something against one they called the accursed blue hedgehog.

Charmy assumed they were referring to Sonic, but he had no idea as to why they would be calling him "accursed".

Suddenly everyone in the room went silent, as a red hedgehog with black tips, and long quills walked in and stopped at the top step of the stairs which were to the far right of the room.

"The siblings have united, and our time of revealing is soon to come," he said as his green eyes scanned the crowd.

'Green eyes! I wonder if he has a relation to Sonic? That seems to be the case lately…' Charmy thought to himself as he wrote this in his notebook.

"King Zandorf, how will the reuniting of the siblings help us reclaim the emerald?" One black hedgehog asked as Zandorf began down the stairs.

"Simple, Sonic and the others are likely to follow any leads they can get," Zandorf began smiling, "so all we need to do is plant a double agent, someone they trust, who we can influence to turn against. From there half of you will plant traps where I command you to, and we will make them look like the culprits. In the meantime, the others shall save civilians and begin earning trust. I will be amoung those men," Zandorf explained as Charmy hurriedly wrote all of what he said down.

"But my lord, who would we plant?" Another hedgehog asked as Zandorf laughed and turned away for a brief moment.

"The eldest, is the weak link, and she has found a new love," Zandorf explained.

'Espio!' Charmy thought, 'it makes sense now… He's going to try to use Espio to lead them to traps, but I know Espio can't be influenced.' Charmy deduced writing the new info down.

"But can she not read his mind my lord?" The black hedgehog questioned as Zandorf laughed evilly.

"Though she won't tell you this, she has not been able to read minds since I erased the memory of her childhood, it was a spell that deactivated her most precious tool," Zandorf announced as he laughed and turned violently toward the cabinet and snatched Charmy by his vest.

"Hey let me go! And you can't fool Espio into turning against his friends!" Charmy yelled, confused as to how he knew he was there.

"I can now," Zandorf said grinning evilly as his many soldiers giggled.

Espio stood off to the side of the damaged GUN base. Doubtless, it was Fortune's doing, saving her little brother. Now the only question was where she wandered off to after.

"Fortune… I want to help you, where are you?" Espio whispered. He wasn't entirely sure if these feelings for this hedgehog was love, but what he was sure of was that he wanted to help Fortune.

Anything to be near her.

Espio must have been more distracted than he thought, for he suddenly found himself pounced by several hedgehogs from behind.

"You're coming with us Chameleon," one hedgehog whispered as he began tying Espio up.

"Is that so?" Espio challenged kicking one of the hedgehogs away.

"I'd cooperate if I were you," a dark male voice warned as Espio turned to find Charmy in chains and a cage.

Standing next to the cage was a red hedgehog with black at the tip of his quills, his eyes were the same green as Sonic and Fortune's eyes.

"Espio!" Charmy cried as Espio was knocked to the ground.

"Charmy! Let him go!" Espio ordered as the head hedgehog smiled and shook his head.

"I'm afraid he's going to remain in my custody," the red hedgehog said as Espio broke out of the ropes, and began to charge at him.

"I said let him go!" Espio shouted again.

The red hedgehog was unphased, instead he charged a power beam and aimed it at Charmy.

"One more step and this bug turns into a dead bug," the hedgehog warned, as Charmy began crying in fear.

Espio came to an abrupt stop, none of the hedgehogs that jumped him cuffed him again.

They knew they had him under their control.

"What do you want from me?" Espio asked, his voice calm, though inside he panicked.

"Allow me to first introduce myself; I am Zandorf, your new lord if you want to keep your annoyance alive. And I want your assistance," Zandorf began smirking at Espio's expression of displeasure.

"You see, I happen to know, my daughter Fortune finds you trustworthy," Zandorf informed him. "You are going to become a double agent."

"Espio whatever you do don't do what he says!" Charmy begged between sobs only to be hushed by Zandorf's threatening hand charging a beam.

'Betray Fortune? I couldn't do that… but Charmy…' Espio thought to himself.

"And if I were to refuse?" Espio asked.

"Then you shall both cease to see another day," Zandorf explained smiling then turning away.

"I'll give you one hour to make up your mind," Zandorf assured him as he disappeared into seemingly nowhere, with Charmy and his men.

Espio just stood there, staring at his shoes.

"I guess… I have no choice… Please forgive me Fortune," Espio requested.

"So, what's our next course of action?" Manic asked as the four siblings sat in a circle.

"Well we can't have Zandorf and Gem running around, emerald or not they're still dangerous, and must have something planned to take over the world…" Fortune began.

"And I guess there would be some sort of danger to just show up and beat the crap out of him right?" Manic assumed as Fortune nodded.

"We can't just sit around and wait either," Sonic pointed out, right as Espio dropped his invisibility.

"They're planning to raid the White house tomorrow," Espio explained making everyone jump and turn to find Espio.

"Espio? How did you get here?" Sonic asked slightly panicked.

He didn't want his friends to know where he was yet.

"I stalked you invisibly stalked you and snuck into the chaos control, I'm sorry, but otherwise you all may have run away from me," Espio explained as Fortune stood up and walked over to the pink chameleon.

Something about him was different, that was all Fortune could deduce.

"I see, then how did you come across this information?" Fortune quizzed as Espio struggled to look her in the eyes.

"I found your father's hiding place, and I listened to the plan while invisible… Anyway, I found out they were going to raid the white house tomorrow, so if we want to do anything about it, we have to get there before Nine am." Espio explained as the triplets looked at one another, while Fortune simply continued to stare.

"You really do want to help me don't you Espio?" Fortune asked as Espio nodded.

Fortune then smiled, her body warm from Espio's kindness, feeling the crush she had on Espio increase in its intensity.

It was such a wonderful feeling.

"Espio, also, I can't have my friends too involved to deeply in this yet okay? So if you could, don't tell them you know where I'm at," Sonic requested as Espio simply nodded.

"Then in that case Espio, please continue listening in on the plans, and report them to us," Fortune requested smiling. "I have all my trust in you."

Espio felt sick to his stomach.


	8. A Ghost, A Mistake, and A Secret

It was midnight on Chris's planet. Everyone at Chris's house was asleep except for Chuck and Tails. Who worked tirelessly in a dark room, the only light coming from the screen of the dna organizer machine in which they tested several hedgehogs dna. They didn't speak as they sat there. The air was tense around them, or at least that's what Tails felt, as Chuck sat there typing away. He didn't glance at Tails, and Tails could tell he wasn't really looking at the screen, rather Chuck was deep in thought.

"Maybe we should turn in for the night Chuck, its late, and we aren't going to be able to think of ways to find Sonic when we're tired," Tails mentioned as Chuck closed his eyes, and frowned.

A chill went up Tails spine, he was used to Chuck being cheerful in the direst of situations, and with Sonic gone, Tails could use all the cheer he could get. But Chuck of the past few days has been dark and silent, only speaking when necessary…

He waited for an answer for about a minute before the air in the room became too tense for him and he began to walk off to his bedroom.

"Tails sit down."

Tails stopped at the doorway, he turned his head to find Chuck still sitting there, with his head hung low and his hands on his knees facing the screen. He was dark upon the light of the large screen.

Tails in turn, turned slowly, and walked back to his seat to sit, and took another look at Chuck. Who hid his eyes as he watched the ground below him.

"Tails… Sonic saved the green hedgehog the other day, broke him out of a GUN prison…" Chuck began as Tail's eyes went wide, then relaxed into denial.

"Well maybe… Maybe it was the wrong hedgehog, Sonic knew it, and he went to break him free!" Tails defended. Was Chuck really suggesting… what Tails thought he was suggesting?

"Authorities confirmed it to be the green hedgehog causing havoc, there was no mistake about it. He was also teamed with that two toned pink hedgehog and the brown echidna like hedgehog when he escaped with the green one…" Chuck continued as Tails's throat began to tighten.

"Maybe… Maybe there is a reason for that," Tails said his voice cracking between the maybes.

"Except that there is none Tails," Chuck said hard-heartedly now looking right into Tails's eyes. "The only reason why Sonic would be helping the green hedgehog, and the two toned pink hedgehog, originally found terrorizing the city, is because Sonic is working with the enemy."

"No," Tails said in angry tears. "Your wrong! Your wrong! Sonic is my best friend! He would never go against us! There is a reason, he just hasn't told us yet!"

"I'm sorry Tails, but I have watched his actions very closely… There is nothing more to conclude, Sonic is working against us," Chuck insisted as Tails began sobbing.

"Sonic is a good guy! I'll, I'll prove other motives for his actions! You just watch me!" Tails yelled as he turned swiftly away from Chuck and jumped into the X-Tornado.

"Tails where you going?" Chuck demanded standing up and watching as Tails buckled up, stared forward with tears falling from his eyes.

"To Eggman! He's going to help me find Sonic!" Tails swore as tears continued falling. "Tornado, take off!" Tails yelled as he disappeared into the midnight sky, leaving Chuck behind.

He directed his course to Eggman's base, barely watching the sky ahead of him through the veil of his tears. Eggman had to have something to help find Sonic. Some radar, tracking device, hidden camera, it had to exist! It was obvious Chuck wasn't going to be able to help him, he didn't know if Eggman would, but he had to try.

"Sonic has always helped us… There has to be unknown reason for all of this!" Tails defended as he approached Eggman's base.

He landed on the island, and secured his ship before pulling himself out of tears. All his life, Tails never thought he'd be here asking for help. But Tails was desperate. He had to clear his blue friend's name.

Tails walked up to the entrance, standing firm as he looked up at the tall building, before collecting the courage to knock.

Suddenly Eggman appeared on a flying TV, wearing a light blue cap in the style of a santa hat, and a light blue button up shirt with dark blue stripes on them.

"Tails, I'm kind enough not to conquer your base whilst you are asleep, the least you could do is do the same, now then I bid you goodnight," Eggman said annoyed as the TV began to fly off into the distance.

"Eggman wait!" Tails called as the Tv turned back around to face him. "I came to ask for your help… Please let me come in…"

Eggman stared at him one second, then the tv shut off, and the door to the base began to open, as the noise of many grinding gears began to fill the peaceful night. He walked in, and the door shut behind him. Several of Eggman's robots pointed guns at him, but they didn't shoot, he was too overwhelmed at that moment to move.

"Stand down, he appears to come in peace," Eggman ordered making Tails look up to find Eggman standing in his blue pajamas on a balcony a few feet up. "Come up to my lab Tails I will speak with you there."

Tails nodded, as he twisted his tails and began to fly upward, and met Eggman at the top. "This way." Eggman instructed as he began walking towards his lab, with Tails following close behind.

They entered Eggman's lab through a sliding metal door, revealing Decoe and Bocoe sitting at computers, looking at Tails with shocked features.

Eggman then walked up to his chair sat down with one leg on top of the other, and both hands atop his belly. "So explain to me, why it is you are here Tails. And make it snappy, I do need my beauty sleep after all."

"I… Need your help finding Sonic," Tails began looking down. "Chuck thinks he's working for the enemy, the hedgehogs that were terrorizing the people I mean… He saved that green hedgehog from the GUN prison, even though we are after him… I want to prove that there are other motives for Sonic's actions but… Our machine can't find him without his dna, and I was wondering since you're a better scientist than Chuck, maybe you had something that could help me find him." Tails explained barely managing to keep himself from sobbing.

"Hmm… You are correct that Sonic has separate motives Tails," Eggman began making Tails gasp then smile.

"Really?! What are they?!" Tails demanded as tears of happiness began to form. Eggman only shook his head.

"That's a mystery you must solve yourself Tails, and I have no means of tracking him, but there is something I can give to you to help you get a hold of Sonic," Eggman assured him as he turned his chair around and began walking towards his desk.

"What do you mean, 'get a hold of Sonic'?" Tails asked suddenly worried.

At this Eggman laughed, "Oh Tails, this will simply sedate Sonic long enough to get him back to Chris's," Eggman explained.

"But why would I need to do that?" Tails asked worried.

"Ah Tails, it's obvious that other attempts to speak with him have been futile, the only way for you to get Sonic back is by force," Eggman lectured as he put a small gun with four bullets into his hands. "That gun is able to target those as fast as Sonic, so all you need to do is pull the trigger. The bullets are laced with Netra flowers… They are natural sedatives."

Tails looked down at the bullets in his hand. "Are you sure it won't hurt him though?"

"Positive, the sedatives explode on impact and it will simply make him fall asleep in 5 to 10 minutes. So you'll be able to catch up with him. You can also use these bullets to sedate the other three." Eggman assured him as Tails let a tear escape.

"I… I wish it didn't have to come to this… But I'm desperate to help Sonic… He's the good guy, I know he is…" Tails said not looking at Eggman.

"Then do what you need to do Tails," Eggman instructed as Tails nodded slowly.

"Thank you Eggman…" There was a bitter taste in Tails's mouth as he said this. He never ever wanted to say that phrase.

"Safe travels my furry friend," Eggman wished as Tails nodded and left slowly. He watched him leave, and when he finally heard the exit door close he began to smile.

"Doctor! What have you done, you prepared that gun to destroy Zandorf!" Decoe reminded him panicking.

"If even one of those bullets hit Sonic he's done for!" Bocoe pointed out as Eggman laughed.

"I know that's the whole point!" Eggman began making both robots silence. "I can easily make more bullets and a new gun. Those bullets contain the only weakness present in the Rainbow Emerald Clan; Netra flowers, every Rainbow Emerald hedgehog is deathly allergic if exposed to enough of it. Sonic is no exception, and neither are his siblings. Since Tails now has the bullets, he can kill him and his siblings easy, and when Sonic's father retrieves the emerald, I will destroy him and the rest of the clan and claim the Rainbow Chaos emerald as mine." Eggman explained laughing evilly.

"But how do we know the bullet will be enough to kill Sonic?" Decoe asked as Eggman smiled again.

"Because I originally made that dose for his father," Eggman finished as he began laughing again and went towards his bed.

It was Shadow's turn to be exhausted. Sonic was gone, and Knuckles was off on some wild goose chase, so instead of it being Knuckles and him collecting the blood, it was all on Shadow.

The ultimate life form exhausted!

Those new hedgehogs were more powerful than Shadow expected, even the ones he heard dubbed as weaklings still took Shadow nearly all he had to defeat.

He didn't let it on though, he kept his cool, didn't complain at each new assignment, he just kept moving, staying himself regardless of the fact he was ready to drop.

He had everyone fooled that he was completely fine, except for Amy… Amy took one look at him and saw past his walking lie, and forced him to sleep.

How did she force him to sleep? She said that he had two options: Either go to bed and fall asleep on his own, or get help from Amy with her Hammer.

So Shadow took the lesser of the two evils, and went to bed. He wouldn't have long to rest, but it was better than nothing, and it was much needed.

He started to fade into a dream… Some sleep, finally…

It was then Amy began shaking him awake.

"Shadow, hedgehogs have been sighted at the White House!" Amy warned as Shadow jumped out of bed nodded and headed toward the White House.

Well, sleep was a nice idea at least.

"No problem… I'm the ultimate life form." Shadow said to himself as he ran. Close behind was Tails and Amy in the tornado.

Tails followed him distracted. He stored the gun and the bullets in the glove department of the Tornado after he received them.

He'd made his peace with it last night. He would sedate Sonic if he saw him.

That was the only way.

"I'm not seeing any sign of them at all bro," Manic said quietly to his brother on his left, as they hid in the basement of the white house.

"I know… I would assume they'd strike here, this is the least guarded place…" Sonic replied as his eyes darted around the room.

"And we have Fortune and Sonia guarding the only other less guarded place… You don't suppose, Espio was lying do you?" Manic asked surprising Sonic.

"Of course not! He's one of my friends, besides Fortune can read minds, if he were lying she'd know," Sonic assured him. "Why do you ask?"

Manic looked down at his shoes for a moment. "Well… His story… It doesn't make sense, Zandorf can read minds too, even if he were invisible at the time of listening to the plan, he could probably read Espio's thoughts."

"Espio is a ninja, he has trained himself to record things without thinking at all, this way Zandorf wouldn't have been able to hear him," Sonic defended.

"I guess that makes sense…" Manic said forcefully keeping his eyes ahead.

Suddenly a hedgehog opened the door at the top of the stairs and snuck in swiftly.

"Back it off we've got you cornered!" Manic yelled as the hedgehog masked in darkness chuckled and produced flame.

"Greetings, prince Manic, outlaw Sonic," Aisu greeted making Sonic and Manic step back in shock.

Aisu was a brick red hedgehog with echidna like quills, his medallion was that of a flame, and cold blue eyes. He was one of Zandorf's high ranked guards, whose order was once to guard over Manic, and order servant and other guards around. He also lead castle raids.

"Aisu?!" Manic said as Sonic got into fighting stance.

"You will pay for what you did to the clan Sonic…" Aisu said as he launched the flame he was holding out into the wooden room and disappeared into a dark shadow.

"He disappeared into a shadow!" Sonic announced shocked.

"Worry about that later bro! We gotta get out of here!" Manic said as the room began bursting further into flames.

"Right! Lets go!" Sonic said grabbing Manic's wrist and breaking through the wall with in his ball form since flames blocked the door.

They escaped into the upper level of the white house, only to find Aisu standing there waiting for them with another ball of flame ready.

"Bring it on Aisu!" Sonic challenged ready to attack him with his super speed, as Manic readied his hands with his drumsticks. "Keep your hands still bro, we need to leave as much of the building in tact as we can!"

"Right…" Manic said dropping his hands forcefully.

"Gladly," Aisu said as he launched more flames catching more of the surrounding building on fire.

Sonic in response attacked him head on with super sonic speed, when to his surprise he went right through Aisu as though he were nothing, and instead crashed into the wall.

"Aisu wasn't even touched, and Sonic was head on!" Manic stated gritting his teeth.

"Ugh!" Sonic groaned. The wall behind him was cracked in several places, loosening several pieces of white concrete that had begun tumbling to Sonic's head, who was just now struggling to his feet.

"Sonic!" Manic yelled pulling out his drumsticks and catching the falling pieces with his powers, jumping over Aisu to his brother, and launching the rocks at him.

"Take this!" Manic yelled throwing his hands forward.

Once again, the attack hit Aisu straight on, but the rocks went straight through him, and instead hit the other wall.

"How in the world?!" Manic panicked as he helped his brother to his feet.

"How did that not hit Aisu?" Sonic asked shocked.

"Bro, I'm not sure that is Aisu!" Manic announced as Aisu disappeared into dark smoke as more of the building began catching fire.

Just then Fortune and Sonia appeared next to them, shocked to see the damage taken to the building.

"It's Aisu! We can't land anything on him!" Sonic explained.

"What do you mean?!" Sonia asked as Fortune nodded.

"That means that we need to attack him in darkness! Where his shadow has no power!" Fortune announced deducing the problem.

"But he just disappeared into dust! How will we find him?" Manic asked as Fortune held her head for a moment.

"He's going after the president next floor up, I'll close off as much light as I can, the rest of you go after him!" Fortune ordered.

"Right!" The triplets agreed as they all went off in different directions.

"Shall the heroes start moving in your highness?" One of the hedgehogs asked as they stood nearby watching as the white house began burning.

"Not quite… Our "Aisu" needs to make sure the hedgehogs cause more damage to the building first," Zandorf answered. "To everyone else, Aisu isn't there, so this way the blame will fall upon Sonic and his siblings… Only members of the Rainbow Emerald Clan can see him. Making him the perfect tool for the job," Zandorf explained turning his head to the invisible Espio, who then dropped his invisibility refusing to look back at Zandorf.

"Exactly what is that creature causing the fires Lord Zandorf? Aisu never had shadow powers… And even if he did, anyone would be able to see him…" A different hedgehog asked as Zandorf smiled.

"That is Gem's secret power," Zandorf announced as everyone except for Espio gasped. "My subjects, my bride is the one hedgehog born every 100 years, who can create shadow puppets. Shadow puppets as you know can copy anybody dead, all from their personality, past, and powers. They also gain the ability to manipulate shadow powers at will. "

"Our Queen is the Shadow Puppet hedgehog? I thought the Shadow Puppet hedgehog was a myth…" The same hedgehog replied as Zandorf shook his head.

"The "myth" is very much real, she proved it to me while I was reviewing power in my potential brides. I just let you all believe that Gem was a weakling…" Zandorf explained grinning at his wife's power.

"Now then, let's move out."

Sonia ran through the many halls of the white house shocked to find most of them orange from the burning flames.

She heard people crying from everywhere, she longed to help them out of the building, but she had to stop Aisu before he reached the president.

Turning a corner, she saw him, it was in an inner hallway so there was no sunlight, and he stood there smiling evilly.

She punched out the electric box next to her, hoping it would darken the hallway. Several lights went out, but not all of them, so Sonia would only have periodic times to attack. Aisu currently stood in light.

"Up for a duel Aisu?" Sonia challenged as Aisu began to laugh.

"Engage in a fight with a princess? How foolish," Aisu said charging at her, right as he became embodied in darkness, he was attacked.

"Then how about a challenge from a prince?" Manic asked as he landed a kick on Aisu.

Aisu, in response tumbled a few feet, before reaching light again, and he disappeared into black smoke.

"I could have taken him," Sonia insisted as Manic laughed. "I know sis, but I had to get him back for making Sonic go head first into a wall."

"Oh alright fair enough, now come on we need to catch up with him," Sonia said grabbing Manic's wrist and pulling out the Rainbow Chaos Emerald.

"Chaos control!" Sonia shouted.

"Alright… I can't just cover up a bunch of windows…" Fortune said as she ran through the burning building.

"Freeze hedgehog!" Some guards shouted suddenly, making Fortune turn and stop.

"You again?" Fortune sighed. She didn't have time for these guys.

"Attack her with anything you've got!" One of them ordered, as bullets, rocks, even dirt from flower pots were thrown at her.

She dodged all of these attacks effortlessly. Her speed couldn't break sound barrier like Sonic, but it was fast enough to dodge their attacks. Truthfully she found their attacks annoying rather than dangerous. As a handful of dirt flew past her however, she came up with an idea.

"That's it!" She shouted before she made them all collapse with a psychic induced migraine.

Fortune proceeded outside of the White House, barely taking not of the several hedgehogs breaking into the white house building from the upper levels. Their main priority was defeating Aisu, and to do that, she needed darkness. If she could kick up enough dirt, she would be able to create a dust storm that would cover the windows. Giving her siblings more ground to attack Aisu.

She began running around in circles at super speeds around the white house. Building a massive cloud of dust, her plan was working; she just had to keep running.

"Mr. President! A female hedgehog is guarding all of our entrances using super speed, we cannot get reinforcements! I repeat we cannot get reinforcements!" A guard watching from outside the white house said into his communicator.

It was then Shadow arrived next to him.

"What's the situation?" Shadow asked.

"There are several fires in the white house! The president is trapped inside!" The guard briefed as Shadow nodded.

"Got it," He said as he homey attacked a second story window in the white house.

Inside Sonic scanned the second level hallways which had windows attached to them. There was too much light for Sonic to attack Aisu here, and this was also a direct path to the president.

"Come on Fortune think of something!" Sonic pleaded keeping his fists raised. He debated for a moment using his power to stop Aisu. Even though he was trained by his uncle Zaldin to control the power, Sonic was still unsure of the extent of its effects. He knew that usually, it put out fires, but the other effects had been random, such as destruction of technology, knock out an entire army of Nocturne, or make flowers grow. If he used it here, it may just turn everyone into frogs for all he knew. Which was why he avoided using it at all costs, but with light as bright as ever, Sonic was beginning to doubt he had a choice in the matter.

Aisu appeared in the middle of the hallway then, Sonic in turn, began to take off his necklace.

"Looks like I have to unleash my power…" Sonic said aloud right as the room began to darken. Sonic dropped his necklace back in place and looked out one of the windows.

"A dust storm! Great idea Fortune," Sonic applauded as Aisu actually began to look panicked.

"Regardless…" Aisu grinned as he began to burn the floor in front of the President's door.

Sonic charged at him with super speed, which hit Aisu, and launched him ten feet. He got back up on his feet quickly, threw a flame ball at him in response, which Sonic dodged with ease.

Suddenly Sonic heard the sound of glass shattering, he turned his head to it, and was surprised to find Shadow.

"Sonic?" Shadow began surprised before turning to Aisu. "And just who are you?"

"Wait; you can see me?" Aisu asked as he growled and Sonic launched himself as a ball at Aisu while he was distracted.

Shadow responded quickly, hitting Aisu with a similar attack, as Aisu threw more fire.

"This is not going according to Lord Zandorf's plan…" Aisu hissed as Shadow and Sonic stopped fighting a moment.

"What do you mean Lord Zandorf''s plan?" Shadow quizzed right as Sonic let out a deep growl, and launched at Aisu.

Aisu in turn launched from the floor through the ceiling and into the sky. Sonic followed him leaving Shadow behind confused.

Manic now rode the skies on his board in attempts to lead attacks away from his sister running on the ground.

He knew Sonic had the situation handled inside, so he and Sonia attempted to help Fortune continue her running, by taking out guards.

"Catch me if you can!" Manic shouted as Aisu jumped through the roof and his brother follow in pursuit. Coming out of various windows, he also saw members of the rainbow emerald clan carrying people out. One member in particular he noticed, his father, saving the president.

"Zadorf saving a life?" Manic said shocked.

"Tails look its Sonic!" Amy shouted as they approached the white house.

"Sonic…" Tails said in a voice between frightened and relieved.

Now was his chance, he had clear shot of Sonic and the green hedgehog, the brown echidna hedgehog was circling below…

He pulled out the gun from the glove department of the tornado.

"Tails what are you doing?" Amy asked as Tails took aim.

Like Eggman said, it targeted Sonic easily, who was still mid jump.

"Tails you're going to hit Sonic!" Amy shouted attempting to reach the gun, but Tails had already fired by the time she got to it.

'I… I just hit Sonic!' Tails thought as his eyes went wide.

"Aisu!" Sonic yelled forgetting he could only attack him in darkness, and not taking aware of his brother flying just a few feet higher above them.

He felt a tiny object hit him, and then everything was black.

"Sonic!" Fortune shouted as she saw her brother falling slowing from the sky and came to a harsh halt in her run.

The guards bullets nearly hit her, but an invisible force pulled her to safety, as Sonia took out the last of the guards shooting at Fortune.

"Bro!" Manic shouted shocked to suddenly see his brother suddenly falling. He dived down to catch him, and pulled him onto his board.

"Sonic! Sonic answer me!" Manic pleaded as he held Sonic's shoulders to keep him from falling off of the board. Sonic's breathing was hoarse and clearly challenged, as though his airway were being slowly cut off.

Tails was surprised to see this. Eggman said that Sonic wouldn't pass out until 5 to 10 minutes after he was hit, and instead he passed out instantly, with what appeared to be harsh side effects.

He was also surprised to find the green hedgehog dive for him and catch him. Especially since they were fighting only a week ago.

"Tails how could you?!" Amy demanded as she disposed of the gun and watched as her two tailed friend sat there shocked at what he had done.

He only finally responded when Shadow suddenly appeared on the wing of his plane.

"After that hedgehog!" Shadow ordered pointing at Aisu who was now standing on the roof of the white house.

"What hedgehog?" Tails asked as Shadow growled.

"That red one on the roof right there, didn't you see Sonic fighting him?! That red hedgehog was the one causing all of the fires!" Shadow insisted.

"Shadow there isn't anyone there," Amy explained slowly, taking her mind off of Sonic for a moment.

"What are you talking about?!" Shadow demanded looking back to find the hedgehog gone.

"He's gone…" Shadow said aloud. 'But why couldn't Tails and Amy see him?'

He looked down at the crowd below, and found himself staring into the glaring emerald eyes of the red and black hedgehog.

In those eyes, he saw pure darkness.

Later that same evening, Zandorf was breaking anything glass in his hide out, Charmy watched in terror from his cage, while the rest of the hedgehogs watched calmly.

"How did Shadow see Aisu?! He nearly ruined everything! All of Sonic's friends are supposed to believe Sonic and his siblings started the fires! Anyone who can claim to the contrary could ruin everything!" Zandorf yelled.

"Perhaps he was a Rainbow Chaos Emerald Member who escaped through the underground railroad?" One suggested as Zandorf shook his head.

"I would have been able to sense it, somehow he has the Rainbow Chaos Emerald blood, without having ever being tied to the emerald…" Zandorf yelled as he began to realize how Shadow could see Aisu. "The Human visitor Doctor Gerald Robbotnik…"

"A human visitor back on Sanctuary?" Gem deduced as Zandorf nodded.

"Yes… I agreed to give him a blood sample in exchange for him taking out the fox clan in Sanctuary... He must have used my blood to give him my powers and removed most of my genetic information…" Zandorf realized.

"That would explain why you two share similar powers." Another hedgehog said as Zandorf nodded.

"And why he is inverted of my colors… He maintains some blood that was formally connected to the emerald by way of hedgehog. That's why he could see the Shadow creature…" Zandorf explained aloud as he began to think of what to do about the situation.

"So then what does he make to you Lord Zandorf? If he was partly created from your blood?" The same hedgehog asked as Zandorf looked coldly at the wall.

"Absolutely nothing. You can think of him as though he were grape juice, whose grapes all came from different bushes. The bushes are all unrelated to each other, and only their finest grapes are picked and combined to make juice… In the end they make a very fine juice, but they have created a new genetic material all their own, and are no longer related to any bush.

You can think of one of these bushes as my blood sample. Dr. Gerald picked only certain traits he wanted to show up in Shadow, but Shadow has in fact created his own genetic material. Thus even though a couple of genes came from my blood, he is in no way related to me." Zandorf explained sighing.

"To think it chooses now to bite me…" Zandorf said crossing his arms. "No matter… I just need to move my plan at a quicker pace."

"Zandorf, where is Espio?" Gem asked as she turned her head to Charmy who was too afraid to speak.

"With Fortune at the moment, to gain more trust between him and her, according to plan…" Zandorf finished before he walked out of the room with Gem following.

"Espio… Please stop listening to them…" Charmy pleaded.

The only ones to hear him were the walls.


	9. In Chaos and Love

**A/N: Hey guys FortuneandCathfernaTH here, I hope some of you are still reading, and forgive me for the long chapters. I know the past couple chapters haven't been my best, and seem to drag on, I'm setting things up so that you will have the best understanding of future chapters! So bear with me, and read if you're still interested! Thanks guys! **

Manic stopped waiting for a response, he landed his board down by his sisters and threw one of Sonic's arms over his shoulders and began to drag him over to Fortune and Sonia.

"We have to leave now!" Manic insisted as Sonia ran to the other side of Sonic.

"He's barely breathing!" Sonia shouted panicked as Fortune pulled out the emerald. Everyone around was distracted, so they'd be safe enough to use chaos control to get back to Sanctuary.

"Hang in there Sonic!" Fortune pleaded as she shouted the words chaos control and disappeared with her siblings, and an invisible Espio in tow.

Now, Tails, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Chuck, Shadow, and Chris gathered again to the TV. Shadow leaned against a corner on the far side of the room, away from everybody else.

"Tragedy struck us today at 10:00 am," the orange haired reporter began as she stood in front of the ashes of the white house. "It was here at the white house, that several fires began as if seemingly from nowhere, trapping everyone in the building, including our president. Several of the Hedgehogs that turned their blood into Gun to be analyzed, returned here, and saved everyone inside, one in specific, Zandorf the Hedgehog, who rescued our president from the flames."

As she said this, the red and black hedgehog with green eyes appeared on the screen, and began to speak. "I saw the smoke from afar and knew there was trouble, so I acted upon instinct and started to save the people inside. The ones who were helping me, alas did not have time to stop all of the fires beginning inside. By the time we got everyone to safety, our time was up," Zandorf explained in his interview. Shadow's stomach churned watching him.

"That was Zandorf's comment right after the fall of the white house. Thanks to him and many others, no lives were lost. The fires are believed to be caused by Sonic the hedgehog, seen leaping out of the roof in this clip you see here." The reporter explained as the clip of Sonic began to play. "He was seen here with one green hedgehog, one brown, and one two toned pink. All four of them are now wanted by GUN police." The reporter concluded as everyone aside from Tails, Shadow and Chuck gasped.

"Mr. Sonic wouldn't have started those fires," Cream said half sobbing.

He was never one to side with the Blue Faker, but this time, Shadow believed his intentions were for the better good.

"He didn't, he was fighting the hedgehog who was starting it! I saw the hedgehog with my own eyes, he was a brick red one with a flame necklace, blue eyes! I don't know how you all can't see it, he was jumping out of the roof to catch him!" Shadow yelled in defense as Amy frowned.

"Shadow, there wasn't anyone there, Tails and I looked, no one was there," Amy explained gently as Shadow growled and crossed his arms.

"The fires did stop when I shot him," Tails began as everyone looked at him with looks between shock and anger.

"Talis, you shot Sonic?" Chuck asked as Cream and Cheese began to cry.

"Yes he did! And he collapsed because of it!" Amy shouted as Tails looked around at everyone, and then down to the floor.

"I'm sorry everyone… Chuck told me last night, that Sonic is probably working on the other side," Tails began as tears formed in his eyes. "But he's my best friend, and I didn't want to believe it… So I… I went to Eggman," Tails admitted as Cream's tears were overcome by disbelief.

"Y-You went to Eggman Tails? How could you? Eggman is a bad man! He'd hurt Sonic no matter what the circumstances!" Cream scolded as Cheese replied with an anger filled 'Chin-chu'.

"He told me that the gun would make him collapse in 10 to 15 minutes, but Sonic just collapsed immediately," Tails attempted to explain not daring to look into the many eyes glaring at him. "I wanted to prove Sonic had other motives, and that he wasn't working for the bad guys. And I guess I was so upset that I believed Eggman when he said that the only to do it was catch him with the bullets… That's why I shot him, I wanted to prove my best friend was a good guy, but with this evidence…" Tails's voice faded, he couldn't finish his sentence.

"I don't believe Sonic is a bad guy for one second!" Chris said suddenly making everyone look at him. "He's our friend! We need to believe in his best intentions, he's always believed in ours. So you guys think what you want about Sonic, it just shows how good friends you are, especially after all he has done for you!"

"You're right Chris," Chuck said suddenly. "As overwhelming as all of this is, we shouldn't deduce anything until we hear from Sonic specifically."

Tails felt revived from this, he knew Sonic wasn't the bad guy, he just had to prove it somehow. And he would, he would prove it without a doubt.

"In that case, we need to get back to work!" Tails shouted cheerfully.

Knuckles dug tirelessly through miles of waste. He and Rouge had been searching for two days now, for anything with Sonic's dna and he was beginning to think the search was futile.

"There's got to be something!" Knuckles said aloud tossing a can that was in front of him.

"Knuckles! I'm sensing something over here!" Rouge informed from afar.

Knuckles rushed over to her, practically swimming through trash. His head began to hurt as soon as he reached her.

"_You have to protect the power here Knuckles..." _

"What was that?" Knuckles asked noticing Rouge hadn't spoken.

"What was what Knuckles?" Rouge asked as Knuckles began to shake his head.

"Nevermind, come on, we have dna to find!" Knuckles said as he began to dig.

He hadn't told anybody of his dreams, and he couldn't very well tell Rouge about them. She would just say he was having feelings of guilt, and maybe the dreams were feelings of guilt in a different form, but of late, Knuckles had begun to entertain the idea that these dreams were memories.

He remembered each dream so vividly, similar to the way he witnessed Tikal's memories during the rain of chaos. The dreams also, were far too related to each other in facts, to be just dreams. In those dreams, Tikal was his mother, he was on Angel Island, and Sonic was his best friend. His only friend.

It was becoming more possible the more Knuckles thought about it, as Sonic left he told him that he wasn't the only who didn't remember his past. If this was true, then it would make sense that both of them didn't remember, because they both shared an unknown past, and why they wouldn't have recognized each other when they first met.

But if this was so, why were these memories coming back now?

"Knuckles I think I got it!" Rouge suddenly shouted breaking Knuckles from his thoughts.

Knuckles wasted no time, he rushed to Rouge's side, and felt his senses heighten as he neared closer to her.

"I remember Sonic eating a peach the other day, then tossing it when it was half eaten, and I sense his dna," Rouge assured him as Knuckles smiled placed his hand on top of the peach in Rouge's hand.

All of a sudden Knuckles was standing on Angel Island, and a younger version of his blue friend was looking back at him. His mouth was moving, but he could hear no sound. Behind him, was the brown echidna like hedgehog, watching sorrowfully as the two friends interacted.

He came to a few seconds later, shocked to find he had grabbed a hold of Rouge's empty hand, with the other one still on top of the peach. Looking back at him, was Rouge's blue eyes, smiling at him. She was covered in garbage, her white fur nearly green from all of the refuge, but she smiled at him regardless, and Knuckles saw beauty in her that he had failed to acknowledge before.

"So, we taking this thing back to Tails or what?" Rouge asked as Knuckles smiled.

"Yeah…" Knuckles replied as he grasped the peach in Rouge's hand. "Rouge… Thank you… I don't know what made you work so hard to help me, but thanks."

"Just don't forget you owe me a date as soon as this is all over Knukie, I wasn't kidding when I said I liked you, you know." Rouge hinted again as Knuckles nodded.

"It's a date, but lets agree on something; we both shower before we go on it," Knuckles said as Rouge laughed.

"Agreed," Rouge said before she began pulling Knuckles ahead. "Now come on, we've got to find Sonic!"

Little known to them, Sonic was on Sanctuary, fighting to stay alive. Sonia and Manic sat on the ground on both sides of him, watching helplessly as their brother struggled to breath.

Night had settled on Sanctuary, so the only light they had, came from the fire that the siblings laid Sonic next to.

Fortune paced back forth in front of them, racking her brain for anything that may give Fortune a clue as to what had caused Sonic to become so sick so suddenly.

Espio, now visible, stood on the other side of the fire, watching Sonic as he panted for air.

Everyone feared for Sonic's life. And without knowing what had hit him, they wouldn't be able to help him. His life hung in fate…

"Is he allergic to anything?" Espio asked as Fortune stopped and looked at him, followed by Manic and Sonia.

"We're all deathly allergic to Netra… Thinking about it… His symptoms do match up with anaphylaxis shock…" Fortune realized looking down at the ground and holding her arms.

"I did see something hit him, maybe it was laced with Netra flowers," Manic suggested as tears began falling from Fortune's eyes.

Espio's heart shot with pain.

"If it was Netra…" Fortune said turning to her brother that lied there struggling. "Then it all depends on how much he was exposed to…"

"He'll pull through," Espio said suddenly making everyone turn to him. "I'm sure of it, we just have to give him time."

"I hope you're right Espio," Sonia prayed as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Without a word, Fortune walked away from the group, her quils hiding her face, and left Sonic behind in the care of Manic and Sonia.

Espio stood up quickly, and as he'd done ever since she ran away, he followed her trail, determined to help her.

Manic and Sonia stayed behind, staying nearby their triplet brother, in hopes it would return his strength to feel his triplet siblings nearby.

"We're supposed to start the family we never had Sonic… I can't do it without a brother," Manic whispered as Sonia stroked Sonic's forehead.

"Come on bro… We're four, not three…" Sonia whispered watching as Sonic's breathing eased slightly.

Espio followed Fortune to the top of the hill near by the siblings. She stood there silently watching the stars, as if an answer to her problems were up there.

"Forutne…" Espio whispered. She turned around slowly, the tears flowing from her eyes.

Espio couldn't take it, Fortune's tears were too much. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close to him.

Fortune blushed a deep red. A childish giddiness began to fill in her chest, it didn't totally overwhelm her feelings of fear for Sonic, but she couldn't help but wrap her arms around him as well, and nuzzle into his chest.

Deep inside her, she wished to press against his lips, to touch his lips with hers, and become lost in just one moment in time forever.

But that would require both to have similar feelings…

"Please don't cry…" Espio whispered softly. "It hurts to see you cry…"

"Espio…" Fortune began only to have Espio hold her tighter.

"Fortune, just listen… I… I'm a ninja, and I've come to understand I need to hide my emotions to be an effective one… So I'm not good at getting my feelings across but… I… I love you Fortune…"

Fortune's green eyes lit up, almost not believing what she had heard. She backed up slightly from the hug, and smiled back at Espio's orange eyes, for the first time, she saw a gentle shine of happiness in Espio's eyes.

"Espio, I love you too," Fortune admitted as her cheeks got redder.

Espio smiled at this, his own cheeks now red. He wasn't entirely sure what made him confess, but he did, and he was glad for it. Then without saying anything, Espio planted a kiss on her, and as he did, he pulled her gently closer.

Fortune returned the gesture, forgetting for a moment about Zandorf, Gem, and Sonic, all she could feel now was love. Love she had forgotten existed, until now. Her deceased husband Mathies had told her to find someone else before he left to fight Zandorf which then ultimately lead to his death, but she had been so in love with Mathies, that she just didn't think she would feel so wonderful, close to someone else, ever again.

"Hey Fortune-. Whoa!" Manic's voice said suddenly making both Espio break apart swiftly, and turn to find Manic on the hill incline. Their cheeks were bright red, as they looked him.

Manic blinked in shock for a moment, before he opening his mouth to speak again. "I just came to say, Sonic is starting to wake up…"

"Sonic!" Fortune cheered as she rushed toward him, leaving Espio to stand there at the hill with her other brother Manic.

"Uh, I'm going to follow-." Espio began only to be grabbed by the arm, and forced to stare right into Manic's eyes.

"You listen here Espio, that brown hedgehog there, happens to be my older sister. Do not under estimate how close siblings can become in such a short time with each other! So listen when I say, if you make her cry, I will make you cry! Got it?" Manic warned coldly not removing his eyes off of him.

"I got it," Espio said in fear more than anything else.

"Good," Manic said releasing him and putting an arm around Espio's shoulders and smiling. "Now then, let's catch up why don't we?"

"Y-Yeah," Espio replied as they began walking down the hill together.

At the bottom of the hill Sonia sat next to Sonic, and Fortune sat on the other side, both smiling.

He began to turn a little, and then he slowly opened his eyes.

"What hit me?" Sonic asked his head pulsing with pain, and the rest of his body feeling so heavy it was uncomfortable to even lay there.

"We think it was something with Netra," Sonia answered frowning slightly. "We were starting to worry."

Sonic attempted to sit up, only to almost fall back again, had it not been for Fortune catching him.

"You need to take it easy bro, after all you just survived an exposure to a deadly allergy," Manic pointed out dropping his arm on Espio.

"I know… how long have I been out?" Sonic asked.

"About ten hours," Fortune replied as Sonic nodded, only to have his head pound further.

"Did we defeat Aisu?" Sonic asked keeping his head still. Manic shook his head.

"No bro, the white house is all ashes now," Manic explained as Sonic frowned further.

"That hedgehog we were fighting, it wasn't really Aisu… So who was it?" Sonia asked as Fortune sat down on her knees.

" "Aisu" wasn't a who, that was a what. He was a shadow puppet," Fortune explained.

"A shadow puppet? You mean the kind of things that take on both the powers of the person they are mimicking and shadow powers?" Manic asked shocked.

"Correct," Fortune replied frowning.

"But powers like that only go to one hedgehog every one hundred years," Sonic reminded her.

"Aside from that, I understood that that hedgehog was just a myth, to scare little children into thinking shadow puppets would eat them if they didn't behave," Sonia added as Fortune shook her head.

"No, she is very much real," Fortune began. "That one hedgehog born every one hundred years, with that kind of power, is our mother Gem…"

"What?!" The hedgehogs all said at once.

"Fortune, why didn't you tell us this sooner?" Sonic asked surprised his sister didn't tell him this.

Fortune looked at the ground for a moment, frowning as she twirled grass with her fingers.

"Honestly… I didn't remember until you said you couldn't attack him…" Fortune explained.

"How could you forget something like that Fortune?" Sonia asked as Fortune's frown deepened. "Knowing that could have better prepared us for the battle, if we knew shadow puppets were a possibility."

"I never told you this… But when I was still living at the castle, Zandorf erased my memories too… So I had forgotten nearly everything about my own childhood, which included everything about Gem, Zandorf, and much about Mathies and Tikal…" Fortune explained not looking at them. "I've been trying to reawaken these memories ever since secretly, but Zandorf's powers… they are much stronger than my own, so it may be that I will never find the right trigger for the spell to break. It could be even… That there is none…"

"Fortune… You really don't remember?" Espio asked softly as Fortune shook her head.

"All I can do is bring up bits a pieces, everything else is a mystery…" Fortune explained as Sonic frowned again.

"Well I'm sure your memories will come back to light! Mine did, and you're the one who is the daughter of the one with strongest psychic powers," Sonic encouraged leaning on Sonia for support.

"So did mine, I remembered what really happened to Zeena, and because of that, I'm back with my real family!" Manic mentioned grinning.

"I can't say much on lost memories, but I can assure you, that if our bros can bounce back, then so can you Fortune!" Sonia assured her as she looked up and smiled.

"You're right, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I've lost most of my memories… It's… Just something I didn't like to even think about," Fortune explained as Espio sat down next to her and placed a hand on top of hers.

Sonic spotting this grinned sheepishly, being joined by Sonia.

"Hey sis, did you get a boyfriend?" Sonic teased as Fortune blushed.

"I-I um…" Fortune said as she looked away.

"Aw our older sister in love!" Sonia cheered.

All Espio did, was smile, and pull Fortune in closer.

In all the chaos, and love, Espio still hadn't forgotten about Charmy… His stomach wrenched further.

'I will find a way… To help them both.' Espio promised himself.


	10. A New Chase

Sonic, Sonia, and Manic had long since fallen asleep from the exhaustion of the day. Espio and Fortune however, were still both wide awake; sitting on the ground next to each other, near by the fire watching the stars together.

"So who were Mathies and Tikal?" Espio asked as Fortune smiled.

"Well, Tikal was a princess of the clan of echidnas in alliance of the Rainbow Emerald Clan," Fortune began to explain. "She was my best friend, actually she gave birth to Knuckles the same day Sonic, Manic and Sonia were born."

"Your best friend gave birth to Knuckles?" Espio asked shocked as Fortune laughed and nodded.

"Yes she did, and yes he was that hot headed from the very start," Fortune assured him. "And Mathies was my appointed guardian, who I fell in love with, and married shortly after I rescued Sonic."

"Your husband? What happened to him?" Espio asked concerned.

"Well…" Fortune began frowning. "You see, when Sonic and I became outlaws, Mathies found me and promised to help me raise him. We were both just twelve at the time, but we were confident in our love for each other.

He still worked at the castle as the royal messenger, so I visited Tikal and Knuckles with Sonic a lot. One day on our way back though, a few of my father's men found us and tried to kill us both.

I managed to get Sonic through unharmed; I however ended up being grazed by a spear. Mathies came home right as I was bandaging my wound, and he went a little crazy." Fortune paused and held Espio's hand a little tighter.

"He asked what had happened to us, and I told him the truth. That Sonic and I were attacked by guards, and he just turned around and began walking out the door. Mathies always hated my father, and he loved the two of us more than anything. He saw something in Sonic's that I didn't, because as I tried to stop him, telling him that we weren't hurt he looked at me and said: You can look into his eyes and tell me his not hurt?

I looked back at Sonic and realized he was right. Sonic though not physically hurt, was terrified beyond comfort. He said that Sonic couldn't live feeling like everyone was trying to kill him that it would make him go insane, and I realized he was right. Then he promised that he would either take my father to his grave, or die trying…

And he died… I watched him battle my father in disguise, and as he was about to be eliminated he said something strange. He said that he had avenged Sonic, and that the Elite Four would rise again to defeat my father…" Fortune explained as Espio blinked surprised.

"Who is the Elite Four?" Espio asked as Fortune looked down again at the ground.

"They are said to be the hedgehogs that developed the Rainbow Chaos Emerald, and the Rainbow Emerald clan. And also, rumored to be the only ones who can defeat Zandorf…" Fortune explained as she looked back at her siblings.

"I don't know that we'll be able to defeat Zandorf, but we are going to give it our all," Fortune promised before looking at Espio and smiling. "And that will be easier, since you're on our side Espio."

Espio's stomach flipped again as she said this. "Fortune you said earlier, that those who are of the royal family, and those closely entangled with it come back to life at least once… Wouldn't you want to wait for Mathies?"

"No," Fortune said easily. "He told me to find someone else to love, and not to wait for him. He was very strict about that, so even if he were to show up right now, he wouldn't be my husband anymore….

I was his when I was much weaker, I'm stronger now that I have kept Sonic safe, plus I have my other siblings now. I'm different from when I was twelve, and we wouldn't work anymore. But quite frankly I'm okay with that," Fortune assured him smiling and blushing. "Because with you… I feel something stronger…"

Espio was relived at this. He wanted Fortune for himself.

He kissed her again on the lips, hanging there for about two minutes. When they finally parted their heads touched each other and they both looked into each other's eyes.

'I… Can't betray her, I need to save Charmy.' Espio thought before smiling and standing up.

"I should get back to Earth, and listen in to what I can on your father's plans," Espio said as Fortune nodded and stood up as well. The smile bright on her face.

"I'll chaos control you there," Fortune promised as she grabbed his hand and said chaos control.

Then they arrived back in Mystic Ruins, where the sun was just beginning to rise again in the distance.

"Thank you Fortune, don't let Sonic do anything too hard on him, there's no telling how weak he may still be," Espio instructed as Fortune nodded.

"Don't worry," Fortune assured him. "I'll make sure he rests."

"Good," Espio said smiling. "I'll come find you when I have an update." Espio promised as he pulled Fortune in close and gently kissed her.

"I'll be waiting," She replied grinning, before she disappeared with chaos control.

"Just who gave you permission to date my daughter?" an all too familiar hedgehog voice said sending a chill down Espio's spine.

He turned to confirm his suspicions, and sure enough it was Zandorf, standing in darkness.

"But because I don't care about her, I could care less what you do with my daughter, in fact I quite praise this new relationship," Zandorf said walking up to him.

"When are you going to let Charmy go?" Espio demanded, keeping calm.

"Careful Espio, I can still squash him with a mere snap of my fingers. Now listen, I'm glad you have made "good" friends with my daughter, because I need you to do something for me…" Zandorf began grinning as Espio's frown deepened.

"I want you to tell Fortune that in two days, I will be leading an attack on base 92 of GUN. It is likely that Sonic will still be too weak to fight by then," Zandorf said as Espio clenched his teeth.

"How did you know about Sonic?" Espio asked.

"I had a vision of it right before we began the raid, and I saw it could lead to an advantage to my plan," Zandorf explained. "Now then, Manic, Sonia, and Fortune should all come without Sonic, then we will capture them. Once they are in my possession, I will send Sonic a message, telling him that he must bring the rainbow chaos emerald or his siblings all die…"

"I… I can't betray Fortune…" Espio defied as Zandorf laughed.

"I thought you might say something like that…" Zandorf said before snapping his fingers and one of his guards jumped down from the tree with the cage that held Charmy in his arms.

"Espio!" Charmy cried as tears ran down his face.

Espio couldn't believe that state Charmy was in. His cheeks were red with fever, his skin pale… Everything about him looked ill. In all the events with Fortune, Espio hadn't even thought of the effects of being trapped in a cage were doing to Charmy.

"Charmy," Espio said rushing toward him before Zandorf raised a glowing hand to the bee.

"How… How can we guarantee Sonic will even have the emerald in his possession?" Espio asked in forced compliance.

"Espio no don't do what he says!" Charmy begged before being silenced again by Zandorf.

"You'll find out soon enough, if this plan goes through to my satisfaction, Charmy will be set free, but if not, then he will die one way or another," Zandorf finished as Espio let out a single tear.

"Espio I'll be fine! Help Fortune!" Charmy begged as Espio shook his head.

"Charmy I can tell you're sick! You won't last much longer there! I don't have a choice," Espio said not looking at Charmy, only at Zandorf, to make sure he didn't attack the bee.

"But Espio!" Charmy began before Espio looked up and yelled.

"Charmy they hold your life in their hands, I'm not risking that!" Espio yelled making tears come to the bees eyes.

"Remember our plan," Zandorf ordered as they all disappeared and left Espio alone again.

"I have to choose between the life of my love and the life of my partner…" Espio whispered. "I'm sorry Fortune…"

Fortune returned to Sanctuary, to find Sonia and Manic at Sonic's sides, who were still supporting him in the sitting position. He had cleared the poison, but it would be a few days before he would have recovered enough to move around. And from the looks of Sonic, it was obvious he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"There you are, we were starting to joke that you and Espio went off to get married," Sonic said with only a fourth of the energy he normally had.

"Not likely in this crisis, too crazy in town to get married," Fortune replied as Manic laughed.

"Didn't stop you with Mathies," Manic pointed out as Fortune laughed.

"Yes well, anyway, we need to discuss our next move," Fortune announced as she sat down next to Sonia.

"I vote we just show up and kick their ass," Sonia said as Sonic shook his head.

"Love to, but judging on the reception we got back at the white house, everyone will be after our skin." Sonic pointed out as Manic nodded.

"I know, but I'm getting sick of just waiting for them to strike," Manic pointed out.

"Hey bro, I'm supposed to be the impatient one here," Sonic reminded him. "But I do agree, we can't just be a five person resistance, Espio might be caught eventually, and we can't keep this up forever."

"I think what needs to be done, is use the rainbow chaos emerald against him… We need to battle him one on four…" Fortune said suddenly making the three siblings look at her with shock.

"That's out of your character Fortune," Sonic pointed out as Fortune nodded.

"As it has been pointed out to me several times in my life, I am the daughter of Lord Zandorf," Fortune began. "And while this is true, I am only strong in the psychic, moderate at speed, and weak at everything else though I have sections of all of his powers. Sonia, you have his strength, and an ability to super spin, but your psychic, earth, and speed abilities are nothing to speak of. Manic, you can control just about any stone or earth structure with a wave of your hands and are endowed at it. But compared to Sonic and I, you cannot run fast, and can't catch up unless you're on your board. Not only that, your psychic abilities are nearly non-existent. Finally, Sonic, the only psychic ability you have is to sense when someone is in danger, and you don't seem to have any abnormal strength, or control of earth. However you have the best skills in speed out of all of us. Not to mention you have the mysterious power that you keep a lid on." Fortune explained as they watched her confused.

"Zandorf is overly proficient in all of his powers, that's why he is King, none of us alone can defeat him. If we use the power of the Rainbow Chaos Emerald to power the four of us, our abilities will be even more enhanced, and if we band together, we may just have a chance," Fortune said smiling.

"I agree!" Sonia said cheering.

"I like that idea, but if we're going after Zandorf, I think we should also equip ourselves with the Chaos Emeralds," Sonic announced as Sonia dug through her pockets.

"You mean like this?" Sonia asked holding out the red chaos emerald.

"A chaos emerald!" Sonic and Fortune both said at once.

"Sonia where'd you get that?" Manic asked as she smiled.

"I picked it up when I left Zandorf, I sensed power coming from it so I took it. In all of the excitement I forgot to tell you all I had it," Sonia explained as Fortune smiled.

"Then we can use that instead of the rainbow chaos emerald for transport, since using it too much can drain our energy," Fortune said standing up. "Now we need to find the rest!" Fortune announced as Manic stood up as well, careful to make sure Sonia had Sonic supported.

"Then let's go look," Manic agreed as Sonic attempted to follow, only to find he didn't have the energy.

"Alright then, Sonic I'm sorry but I'm going to have to insist you stay behind and rest, Sonia you stay with him to make sure he doesn't over do it. Keep the Rainbow Chaos Emerald here, it's safer in a place Zandorf can't reach it," Fortune ordered as they both nodded.

"You got it sis!" Sonia agreed.

"You both be careful, and I should mention that Tails has one emerald in his Tornado plane, so when the time comes, let me talk to him," Sonic insisted as Fortune nodded. He still worried about seeing his friends again, but he couldn't hide out on Sanctuary forever. Besides, upset or not he shouldn't have jolted from them in their time of need.

"Alright then," Fortune said trading emeralds with Sonia. "Chaos control!"

And in a flash Manic and Fortune were gone.

"Mr. President, we have just received a disturbing message from GUN," the secretary began solemnly as the president looked up from his papers and into the eyes of the secretary. He'd been moved temporarily to a hotel, while they rebuilt the white house from the flames, as if he wasn't busy enough.

"More chaos with the newly arrived hedgehogs?" The president asked.

"I'm afraid so…" The secretary then paused, looking at the floor.

"Well out with it then, we must be completely in check with the situation," the president insisted as the secretary sighed heavily.

"The green hedgehog GUN had captured escaped, with the help of the two toned pink hedegehog, a brown echidna looking hedgehog, and the well-known Sonic the hedgehog…" The secretary finally admitted after many seconds of silence.

"What?!" The president gasped nearly falling over in his chair. "Are they absolutely sure?!"

"I can assure you there is no reason to doubt sir," a deep voice responded making both president and secretary turn their heads to a figure that stood in darkness.

"Who are you?!" The president panicked as the figure came out of the darkness and into the light.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Zaldin, a hedgehog, though I resemble an echidna," Zaldin introduced smiling.

"The one who saved me from the fire, I remember now. But why are you here in my hotel? And how did you get past the secret service?" Demanded the president as Zandorf smiled gently.

"Similar to the one you call Sonic, I have super speed, but I can assure you, that unlike Sonic, and his three comrades, my intentions are good," Zaldin explained in a sincere tone, as the president looked him up and down.

"You see, back in the world I came from, Sonic and his three comrades caused havoc everywhere they went, destroying lives, crushing important monuments. They were quite fearsome, but my wife and I made it our mission to end their rain of terror, by hunting them down and repairing lives where we could. The fact that your world is now under the mercy of these four, torments me, with your permission, I'd like to take over. I do after all have more experience in the means of dealing with them." Zaldin walking over to the hotel window and watching the guards of the president walk about.

"But, Sonic, he never harmed anyone before," the president began to argue as Zaldin turned around in a swift motion.

"That is because Sonic is a manipulative one, he does all sorts of good things to gain trust, but when he deems the time right, he shows his true colors. Those four are dangerous, and cannot be handled by GUN alone. And frankly Mr. President, I think you have enough on your plate without trying to deal with the hedgehog crisis." Zandorf pointed out as the President stood up and walked to the window next to Zandorf.

"I thought that maybe those fires were just a fluke… That Sonic had a reason for it… But the evidence is clear now, that we can no longer trust him," the president said before turning his head to Zandorf.

"I leave their defeat in your hands…" The president agreed as the secretary opened her mouth in shock.

"Thank you, Mr. President."

Cream and Cheese sat in the living room, doing what most children do, watching TV. But this time she watched with purpose! She was ordered by Tails to keep an eye on the news! And despite the fact it was completely and utterly boring to watch the news, and made her fall asleep nearly every time she watched it, she took this mission seriously. She just had to take shifts with Cheese whilst napping.

"Anything important Cheese?" Cream asked rubbing her eyes as Cheese replied with a chin chu version of no.

"Alright then, my turn to watch," Cream said as Cheese snuggled up to Cream and began snoring.

She laid her head on her hands and watched as yet another section of news came on. This time with a reporter who had brown hair, tan skin, a blue top and skirt. She stood in front of a large stage, with thousands of people standing in front of it. On the stage was a podium, with a flag in the background, and coming to the stage was no other than the president himself!

"We come to you live at the center of Station Square, where our president has come to deliver a speech said to shock us all," the reporter explained as the camera switched to a close up view of the president.

"Citizens, as you know, we lost our white house just a day ago thanks to three unidentified hedgehogs, and Sonic… Thanks to several hedgehogs that have surrendered their identities and blood for analysis by Tails and Chuck Thorndike, no lives were lost. It has come to my attention that Sonic and these three mystery hedgehogs have banded together before, and caused many problems for the people who may be around.

So in the best interest of my nation, I am stepping down from power," The president making everyone in the audience gasp, and Cream stand in shock, which in turn made Cheese fall onto the floor.

"What?!" Cream said holding her arms close to her.

"In my place I am leaving the hedgehog who saved me Zandorf, to take over in the commencing of their capture," the president announced as he left the podium and Zandorf walked up smiled.

"Let me start by saying, I know many of you are worried. But back where I came from, I made it my personal misson to keep Sonic's destruction at bay," Zandorf began as the audience watched intensely.

"So if you all do exactly as I say, I can assure you, Sonic and the others will be captured, and peace will be restored to this nation," Zandorf said as everyone cheered.

"But Mr. Sonic isn't a bad guy!" Cream yelled right as Tails came in.

"What happened?" Tails asked confused.

"That Zandorf guy says that Sonic has been a bad guy all along, and that he is going to capture him! He's even over powered the president!" Cream cried as tears began forming in Cheese's eyes.

"No way Sonic could be the bad guy! We already established that!" Tails said determined as he left the room to get back to work.

"I'll prove it somehow!" Tails yelled departing.

"But what about Zandorf?" Cream asked saddened as the News moved onto another story.

"In other news, a chaos emerald has been found down at the Mystic Ruins Jungle, authorities are guarding it from Eggman." The news lady said making Cream turn back to the TV.

"A chaos emerald, maybe that can help Mr. Shadow!" Cream said cheering. "We just have to go get it!"

"Chin chu!" Cheese cheered as Cream crossed her arms and looked at the floor.

"Except Mr. Shadow is busy collecting blood, Amy is out shopping, Tails is testing stuff, and Ella is busy… How do we get it?" Cream thought aloud before snapping her fingers. "I know! I'll just go get it myself! Then no one will have to be bothered!"

"Chu?" Cheese asked slightly panicked.

"Oh don't worry Cheese I'll be careful, you stay here in case anything else important shows up alright?" Cream said as she flew out the open window and began flying in the direction of the Mystic Ruins.

"Finding the chaos emeralds isn't going to be an easy chase," Manic said as he scanned the Mystic ruins from above. He and Fortune separated once they arrived on Earth, the agreement being Manic would scan the areas nearby and Fortune would run on to the farther areas and search there.

"Well I don't think there is any here," Manic said as he began to head toward Silver valley when something yellow caught his eye.

"Hello!" Manic said as he began toward it.

Cream walked about the many trails of the forest with glee. She'd made it to the mystic ruins without trouble, now all she had to do was find the area with the nice policemen and collect the emerald.

It was then that she saw it, sitting there in the middle of the walkway.

"The chaos emerald!" Cream cheered rushing toward it and picking it up in her hands. She looked around for the police men, but didn't see them. "I thought the nice policemen were supposed to be guarding the emerald," Cream said as she looked to her left and right.

"They were!" A dark voice said as Cream turned to find two dark green hedgehogs grinning evilly back at her.

"Ah!" Cream screamed as she began to run only to be caught by the collar.

"Silly little rabbit, so weak and helpless, maybe we should release her?" One teased as she struggled.

"Let me go," Cream begged as both hedgehogs laughed.

"With the seven emeralds, we'll be sure to be able to steal the Rainbow Chaos Emerald!" One of them said as Cream stopped struggling for a moment.

"Rainbow Chaos Emerald…?" Cream said surprised there even was such a thing.

"You idiot, you said too much!" the other yelled making Cream cry. "Now we have to take her!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Another voice yelled as the world began to shake.

"Manic!" both hedgehogs shouted at once as they dropped Cream who fell onto the ground. Right as she did, she was lifted again bridal style. She opened her eyes, and found herself in the arms of a lime green hedgehog. The same lime green hedgehog first seen terrorizing Station Square.

"P-Please don't hurt me!" Cream sobbed holding tight onto the emerald.

Manic decided it would be safer to land and comfort the rabbit rather than risk her struggling out his arms and falling to her doom, so he landed on a cliff right beside a mysterious tree house, which was surrounded by water. He put the rabbit down softly, debating what to do with the sobbing child, as he watched her clutch the Emerald close to her. He sighed heavily, sat down and rested his head on his right hand.

"Man I wish Fortune was here," Manic said as he closed his eyes. "I've never dealt with children…" He had to think of something, if she kept crying, those two hedgehogs would track them down, and he would have to fight to defend her, likely bringing a crowd and getting him kidnapped again. He did not want to be in that cell again…

'Well I guess the first step would be to say something…' Manic said as he stood up again. "I'm Manic, what's your name?"

"I-Its Cream," She said refusing to open her eyes. "Please don't hurt me Mr. Manic…"

'Oh yeah, she must recognize me from when I was brainwashed into siding with Zandorf…' Manic realized before he forced a gentle smile. "Hey now, I'm not gonna hurt yeah," Manic assured her as she opened her eyes halfway.

"Y-You're not?" Cream asked not sure whether or not it was okay to believe him.

"Of course not, I'm a good guy," Manic attempted to tell her as her frown deepened.

"Then why were you fighting with Mr. Sonic a while back?" Cream asked as Manic frowned himself.

"Well you see Cream, a little while back, I thought Sonic did something really bad, and I wanted to make him pay for it," Manic began. "But we're buddies now!"

"You're buddies with Mr. Sonic?" Cream asked her eyes glowing now.

"Yep! Heck you could say we're even closer than that," Manic joked as Cream smiled.

"Mr. Sonic is my friend too! But he's run away…" Cream explained as Manic gasped slightly.

'One of Sonic's friends! Meaning I'll have to be extra careful.' Manic thought before smiling again. "I'm sure he'll come back when he's ready, but I need to ask you a favor."

"What is it?" Cream asked calmer now in Manic's presence.

"I need that Chaos Emerald there, if you try to keep it, those mean hedgehogs may come back and try to take you," Manic explained, praying he built enough trust in the rabbit to have her hand it over.

She looked down at the Emerald in her hands again. "I was going to give this to Mr. Shadow to help him…"

"I see, well Cream, if you give it to me, it will help Sonic," Manic said as Cream smiled happily, and looked up into Manic's green eyes.

"Well okay! If it's to help Mr. Sonic, then you can take it!" Cream said handing the emerald out to him. He took it gently and stored it.

"Thanks Cream! Now how about I take you home?" Manic offered as Cream nodded eagerly.

"Okay Mr. Manic!" Cream agreed as Manic set up his air board and motioned Cream onto it.

"Alright you need to hold onto me really tight, otherwise you might fall off," Manic instructed as she held around one of Manic's legs. "Alright we're taking off!"

And like that they were up in the sky flying so high they touched the clouds. It was nothing new for Cream, but the experience of being this high on an air board made her giggle. Until she remembered something the Hedgehogs said.

"Hey Mr. Manic," Cream began.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know anything about the Rainbow Chaos Emerald?" Cream asked.

Manic felt his cheeks go pale, if she even thought something like that existed she would be in danger. "Listen to me Cream, you have to forget everything about the Rainbow Chaos Emerald."

"But why Mr. Manic?" Cream asked confused as Manic shook his head.

"The less you know, the better," Manic said sternly. "Trust me on that."

Fortune had made her way back to the Mystic ruins, having no sort of luck finding the emeralds, and with it becoming sundown again, would have to give up her search for the day.

"Fortune," she heard Espio say as she turned to find her pink Chameleon standing nearby.

"Espio!" Fortune cheered as Espio smiled and walked up to her. "Any luck?"

"They're planning a raid base 92 of Gun in two days. Its where they store most of their weapons," Espio explained as Fortune's smile faded into serious frown.

"In that case we'll have to hurry our on the finding of the Chaos Emeralds," Fortune realized, making Espio uneasy.

'So that's what he meant when he said Sonic would have the Rainbow Emerald in his possession…' Espio thought hiding his fear as a ninja is always trained to do.

"What about the Rainbow Emerald?" Espio asked as Fortune nodded.

"We've decided to fight Zandorf four to one, and we are going to use the Chaos Emeralds and the Rainbow Emerald to fight and defeat him. We don't have a choice," Fortune explained as Espio frowned.

"What about Sonic? Surely he may still be too weak to fight him," Espio suggested as his chest shot with pain. He couldn't believe he was going through with this…

"You're right… In that case, Sonia, Manic and I will have to go and stop the raid ourselves, and buy some time until Sonic is fully recovered," Fortune decided smiling. "You've been such a wonderful help and boyfriend Espio."

She kissed him on the lips, and Espio couldn't help but kiss back, his heart as joyous in this action, but at the same time he was sick to his stomach again.

For Charmy… He had to do it, for Charmy.


	11. Zandorf's Prisoner Rampage

It wasn't until an hour later that Manic reached the Thorndike Mansion with Cream, who frowned as they approached.

"What's the matter?" Manic asked looking back at her.

"I was just having so much fun flying… I'm kinda sad to see it end," Cream admitted as Manic smiled, landing carefully in the darkness. "Thank you Mr. Manic!"

"Anytime! But listen Cream, don't tell any of your friends about me being friends with Sonic okay? And don't tell them that I was the one who got you home," Manic explained as Cream frowned again.

"But why Mr. Manic?" Cream asked tears forming in her eyes. Manic whipped away her tears and smiled.

"Because there is a big mean bully out to get Sonic and I, and he'll do anything to get to us, so this hast to be our little secret," Manic explained as Cream nodded and smiled.

"Okay Mr. Manic you can count on me!" Cream promised as Manic laughed and set up his board again.

"Good to hear Cream," Manic said right as he stepped on and was about to take off.

"Mr. Manic wait!" Cream yelled making him pause.

"What is it?" Manic asked, as Cream ran up to him and wrapped his arms around him.

"Thanks again!" Cream said as Manic smiled and returned the gesture.

"You're welcome kid, stay safe," Manic requested as she ran off into the mansion and disappeared behind a door.

"That kids alright," Manic decided as he disappeared to the Mystic Ruins.

As Cream came through the door, she was greeted by Amy who hugged her tightly.

"Oh Cream! There you are, I'm so glad you're safe!" Amy said as Cream returned the hug.

"I'm alright Amy," Cream assured her.

"Where on this planet did you go Cream?" Shadow demanded as Cream separated from Amy and found the faces of Ella, Chris, Shadow, Chuck, and Tails staring at her with anger.

"I… I went to the Mystic Ruins," Cream answered as Chuck's eyebrows deepened into a frown.

"Cream hedgehogs are running a muck outside! You can't travel alone and you know that!" Chuck scolded.

"Not to mention you are too young to leave the house by yourself without telling anybody anyway!" Ella followed making Cream look down at the floor.

"I'm sorry for making everyone worry, it's just that there was a chaos emerald on the news, and I thought if I went and got it, then it would help Mr. Shadow," Cream explained as Tails sighed.

"Well we appreciate the thought Cream, but next time come tell one of us about the Emerald alright?" Tails said attempting to defuse the situation.

"Okay…" Cream decided not looking at anybody. Maybe they wouldn't have been as mad at her if she actually had the emerald.

"I want her captured!" Zandorf yelled as the two green hedgehogs quivered.

"But sir-." One of them tried to say until to be drowned out by Zandorf again.

"You heard me! I want that rabbit here in a cage, any rumor of the Rainbow Chaos Emerald in this world could cause us danger!" Zandorf reminded them. "Now move it!"

"Y-Yes sir!" Both hedgehogs replied before bolting out the door.

"Those idiots! They know that no one outside of the hedgehog clan can know of the Emerald's existence… It could attract the Nocturne here…" Zandorf said sighing.

"Or that doctor…" Gem added as Zandorf nodded.

"Dr. Eggman… Thankfully I haven't heard much from him, he seems to have kept quiet…" Zandorf said turning his head to the bee trapped nearby. He was barely breathing now, pale and feverish as ever, as he cuddled against one of the corners of the cage, with his eyes shut. They hadn't fed him since he'd been captured. Meaning he should be dead any day now. But as he looked at the prison that contained the bee, he knew that he could not do the same for Fortune and the wretched triplets.

"Dare I ask for a favor from my enemy?" Zandorf asked smiling at Charmy's pain, before he stood up and began to leave. "I'll be back my wife, take care of things whilst I'm gone."

"Of course," Gem replied as she watched him leave.

"Doctor, Somebody has broken into our tower!" Bocoe warned as Dr. Eggman looked from his desk.

"Again?!" Eggman asked as the door to his lab broke down and the two robots dashed to Eggmans side and quivered in fear.

"Is it Manic again?" Bocoe asked as Eggman watched the smoke begin to clear.

"Does anyone related to Sonic knock!? Or do you all just come to people's bases and trash the place?" Eggman asked clearly annoyed as Zandorf came to the light.

"As king, I am at no liberty to knock, I can do as I please," Zandorf said grinning. "Now then, I have a favor to ask."

"You want me to do a favor for you?" Eggman asked putting his hand on his chest and laughing. "But I killed you!"

"Indeed you did, to which I applaud your success," Zandorf said laughing a bit. "Now then I would like for you to build me a prison capable of keeping hold on my children."

"I see… I'm interested, but what's in it for me?" Eggman asked as his robots continued to cower.

"Depends… What are you aiming to get?" Zandorf asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well of course I want the emerald, but I know that you'd never pass on that power to me, so I'll just ask for this," Eggman began as he grinned. "After all is said and done, you give half of this world to me, since I'm well aware that you plan on dominating it after your children's defeat."

"Half this world?" Zandorf said shutting his eyes, then grinning. "You've got it Doctor."

"Then I'll begin construction, where would you like it?" Eggman asked as Zandorf smiled.

"As a dungeon at my hideaway, I need it done in two days," Zandorf ordered as he began to walk out.

"As you wish your majesty," Dr. Eggman said bowing before shoving Becoe and Docoe forward. "Follow him you idiots, and start building!"

"Yes Doctor Eggman sir!" Docoe and Bocoe agreed as they followed the hedgehog with growing hesitation.

'As they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' Eggman thought before he turned to his desk again and grinned.

Little did Zandorf know, Eggman had plans to get him all of the planet, and the Emerald. And Eggman, had just set that plan into action.

Fortune, Espio, and Manic arrived back in Sanctuary, to find Sonic recovered enough to sit up on his own, which was a welcome relief. He and Sonia, sat face to face, calmly chatting, which was interrupted with the return of the three.

"Any luck?" Sonia asked as Manic nodded. "Managed to get one of them," Manic said holding it out. "I'm sorry to say bro, but Cream almost got captured by a couple of Zandorf drones."

"Cream did?! What was she doing out alone at a time like this?!" Sonic demanded as Manic shook his head.

"She was after the emerald too, said she was going to give it to Shadow whoever that is, I got her home and she promised not to say anything about the event, but…" Manic said looking down at the ground.

"But what Manic?" Sonic asked now further concerned.

"I don't know how she even heard of it, but she asked me if I knew anything about the Rainbow Chaos Emerald…" Manic explained as Sonic quickly stood up only to stumble and be caught by Manic.

"That means she's in danger!" Sonic panicked before he attempted to run off, only to be stopped by Fortune and Manic's swift arms.

"Sonic no! If you go there and try to protect her now, Zandorf will realize that she is someone you want to protect and she'll be in more danger. Not to mention that would put your other friends in more danger than they are already." Fortune argued as Sonic lowered his hands and sat back down on the ground in exhaustion.

"You're right… As long as Zandorf doesn't know that she knows me and potentially knows the truth about us… She's safer…" Sonic said defeated as Manic frowned.

"I'm sorry bro," Manic apologized as Sonic shook his head.

"It's not your fault, thanks for helping her," Sonic said forcing a smile.

"I have more news," Espio announced making everyone's heads turn to him. "In two days they are going to do a raid on base 92 of Gun," Espio explained as they all nodded.

"Then Sonia, Fortune and I need to go and stop them," Manic decided as Sonic glared at him.

"And why can't I come?" Sonic asked annoyed.

"We need someone here with the Rainbow Emerald, and aside from that you can barely stand for more than a few minutes, so fighting is out of the question," Fortune ordered as Sonic growled.

He hated not being able to help.

With night befallen, Cream was safely asleep next to Cheese in her bed. Dreaming a dream she had each night. Dreaming of Sonic returning to them at the Thorndike mansion, and everyone being happy again, with the mean hedgehogs gone. She dreamed this every night joyfully, but each morning she would awake in sorrow, when she realized it had all been a dream. A peaceful dream, it was sad how horrible it made her feel.

As Cream dreamed, two hedgehogs snuck in through her open window. So quietly, that neither she nor Cheese stirred. In their hands, they had a rope, ready to tie up Cream. They kept on edging closer to her, until they had her within arms reach, and they quickly began tying her up with a rope.

"Ah!" Cream screamed as attempted to struggle out of the ropes that were being tied tightly around her.

"Help somebody!" Cream shouted again, right as Cheese woke up and began to punch the two hedgehogs.

"This chao is getting in the way!" One of the hedgehogs complained as he caught Cheese by the arm and held on.

"Tie him up too then!" The other hedgehog ordered as Cream was gagged.

She continued to struggle, but to no avail, instead they picked her up and jumped out of the window with her and Cheese in tow, right as the door began to open. On their way out of the window, Cream hit her head, and her world became black.

"Cream?!" Amy shouted as she looked around her empty room. She rushed to the window, leaning out the window and called out for her friend. "Cream! Cream! Where are you?" Amy begged as she lifted her hand, to find blood there, from where she had rested it on the window. Frightened tears fell then from her eyes.

"Shadow!" Amy shouted rushing out of the room. "Somebody has taken Cream and Cheese!"

Cream awoke again in a small room with stairs that lead to a door in front of her. Her head hurt as she tried to move, realizing she was trapped in a small cage, with Cheese at the other corner motionless as he laid there with his eyes closed.

"Where am I?" Cream asked frightened, as the hedgehog she recognized as Zandorf came from around the corner smiling.

"It seems you've finally woken up Cream," Zandorf said smiling as Cream's vision began to fade in and out.

"Zandorf? The new ruler?" Cream said frightened as Zandorf nodded.

"Correct," Zandorf said smiling evilly at her. "Now tell me Cream, what exactly do you know about the Rainbow Chaos Emerald?"

A chill went down Cream's spine when he asked this, and she attempted to huddle further into the corner, as Zandorf's green eyes stared at her, as though piercing her soul.

"I-I don't know anything Mr. Zandorf," Cream answered only to have to suddenly find herself held up by the collar of her dress and forced to look deep into Zandorf's eyes. She was there so fast, that Cream couldn't fathom how the cage was even opened so quickly.

"That is Lord Zandorf, your majesty, or King Zandorf! Do I make myself clear?" Zandorf yelled as tears came to Cream's eyes.

"Y-Yes Lord Zandorf," Cream answered with hardly any voice.

"Let her go Zandorf!" A male voice said hoarsely; as Cream looked down to find Charmy Bee sitting on his knees panting, as he looked up at them, holding onto one of the bars for support.

"She doesn't know anything! You have no reason to have her here!" Charmy insisted as Zandorf held a glowing hand to the bee.

Charmy didn't even flinch, he just sat there panting out his words. "You can't kill me yet… If you do you won't have any control over Espio… And he'll just helpSonic and Fortune without hesitation…To get revenge for my death."

Zandorf growled at this. He knew he was right, regardless he couldn't let the rabbit go now. The search for her had already begun, so he couldn't just erase her memory and send her home as though nothing had happened.

"I promise I don't know anything… Honest…" Cream attempted as Zandorf threw her back into her cage, and she landed in there with a crash, waking up Cheese, as he slammed the cage shut again.

"I'll let you live for now Cream!" Zandorf said as he disappeared again leaving Cream to sob in pain. "Prepare to die regardless."

"Are you okay Cream?" Charmy asked softly as he situated himself to face Cream, who cowered in the corner closest to Charmy's cage, with Cheese crying with her.

"I'm scared…" Cream said as Charmy nodded.

"I am too, but everything is going to be okay Cream, so please don't cry," Charmy said between pants.

"Are you sure?" Cream asked opening her eyes again and looking into Charmy's comforting orange eyes, that stared back at her.

"I'm sure! If he tries to hurt you I'll protect you," Charmy promised as Cream's tears eased slightly.

"But Charmy, you're so weak right now… You can barely breathe," Cream argued as Charmy shook his head.

"Don't worry about me, I'll protect you no matter what!" Charmy said regaining some energy from just having another person nearby.

"Thank you Charmy," Cream thanked smiling as she did.

Two days had passed since the siblings received the news that one of Gun's bases was to be raided. Sonic was to his feet again finally, but running still exhausted him, meaning he was still unable to fight. In the course of the two days, Fortune and Manic managed to collect two more chaos emeralds, making four in their possession. Espio had spent the past two days back on earth, collecting information, though he had been having no luck collecting anything new, aside from that Zandorf had taken over the president.

"Are you guys ready?" Espio asked as Manic packed the last of the chaos emeralds into a small bag.

"All set! Thanks for being willing to go in with us Espio," Fortune thanked as Espio quickly looked down to the ground.

"Y-Yes… Well its nearly ten, we should get going," Espio said as Manic watched him with a suspicious stare.

"You all be careful!" Sonic warned as they nodded.

"Of course! You rest up bro, we'll need you as soon as you're well again," Sonia said as Sonic nodded.

"I just wish I could help you guys now," Sonic complained sighing in half exhaustion and half disappointment.

"You are helping us, you're keeping the emerald safe!" Manic pointed out as Sonic laughed.

"Yeah I guess you're right," Sonic agreed as Espio's stomach tangled into every possible knot.

"Are you okay Espio? You don't seem like yourself," Fortune pointed out as he shook his head.

"I'm fine… I love you Fortune," Espio said quickly making Fortune smile.

"I love you too Espio!" Fortune replied as her three siblings snickered in the background.

"Alright love birds, let's go," Manic said as he and Sonia put their hands on their sister's shoulders.

"Right, ready Espio?" Fortune asked holding out her hand.

'Forgive me Fortune…' Espio thought as he took the hand and smiled. "Ready."

"Chaos Control!" Fortune yelled as they disappeared from Sanctuary.

"I don't get it, who could have taken Cream?" Amy begged as she paced about the living room.

"Maybe one of the bad hedgehogs, but I couldn't imagine any of them having a reason to kidnap her though," Tails said looking down on the ground. Just then, Shadow came in.

"I haven't been able to find a trace of her," Shadow announced for the second time in two days.

"Oh I just hope she's okay," Amy said panicked as Shadow wrapped a comforting arm around her.

"All we can do now is try to keep working..." Chuck said making Amy sob.

"How can we possibly work at a time like this?" Amy demanded as Tails stood up.

"Chuck is right Amy, if we keep working the blood on all the hedgehogs, it might lead us to Cream," Tails attempted as Amy nodded.

"I guess you're right... I won't give up until I find Cream!" Amy decided as she left Shadow's arm and began out the door. "I'll keep looking, you guys get back to work!"

The siblings and Espio appeared in front of base 92, in no time. The base was in the middle of a partly cleared out forest that had a river running nearby it. For a base that was supposed to be under attack, it was disturbingly quiet.

"I don't see anyone," Fortune said as Espio began to pull back.

"I'll go in invisibly first," Espio said as he stepped further and further away. His chest and stomach pulsing with pain with each step he took.

'This… This is it…' Espio thought as he took one final step back and watched as the siblings were all caught by one large electric net that came from the ground.

"Ah!" Manic yelled falling backwards onto the ground. "Damn! They got us!"

"I… I can't move," Sonia panicked as she begun to feel numb, and fell to her knees.

"Get used to the feeling my children," Zandorf said making the three siblings look up, to find him staring down at them with his arms crossed.

"Zandorf! How'd you do this?!" Fortune demanded between bolts of pain.

"It's all thanks to your little boyfriend here," Zandorf announced as tears came to Fortune's eyes.

"What?" Fortune asked turning toward Espio who was also bursting into tears.

"I'm sorry Fortune! I had no choice," Espio attempted only to have Manic interrupt.

"You jerk! My sister trusted you! I trusted you!" Manic yelled as Fortune looked down at the ground and let the tears fall to the ground.

"How could you suddenly betray us like this?!" Sonia demanded glaring at Espio, who only looked at Fortune.

"Heart breaking isn't it? Too bad you can't read minds anymore isn't it Fortune?" Zandorf tormented as making Sonia and Manic turn their heads to her.

"You can't read minds anymore?" Sonia asked shocked.

"No I can't… I lost that power when my memories were erased… Espio… He could have been playing us all along," Fortune said as Manic growled.

"Fortune listen to me, I didn't do this willingly! They have-." Espio attempted again, this time interrupted by Fortune.

"I can't believe you Espio!" Fortune shouted. "I can't believe you would play my feelings like this!"

Espio's heart shot with pain. "No Fortune I wasn't-."

"Enough of this," Zandorf said suddenly. "Take these three to the dungeon!"

Right as he said this, several hedgehogs appeared around the net, and proceeded to carry them back to the hideout.

"Fortune!" Espio shouted only to watch her green eyes tear up and close from the constant voltage. She was gone… With the belief, that Espio never felt anything at all for the beautiful hedgehog… And there was nothing more he could do about it…

She trusted him to keep her safe, in body and in heart, and he betrayed her…

Zandorf stayed behind watching as they departed, grinning with delight as he did. "Finally my plan is coming into action."

"Give me back Charmy!" Espio demanded clenching his fists, and attempting to stop his sudden overflow of tears. "I did what you wanted, now give him back to me!"

"Ah yes, that pesky little creature," Zandorf said as he snapped his fingers and a second hedgehog appeared holding the cage with the bee in it, who was to the point he could barely keep his head up.

"He's all yours," Zandorf said as Espio rushed to him and lifted the weak Charmy out of the cage and held his weak body in his arms.

"They have Cream, Espio…" Charmy said hoarsely as he kept his eyes half open. "I have to protect her… I promised…"

"You have Cream!?" Espio demanded as Zandorf chuckled. "What want to save that useless thing now as well? I have no further use for you Espio, so don't think you can bargain for her."

"I can't believe you! Do you have any heart at all?!" Espio demanded keeping a tight hold on Charmy who had unwilling fallen victim to exhaustion.

"Actually yes," Zandorf said as he began to hypnotize Espio. "I am nice enough to help you forget…"

"Wait what?" Espio panicked as he began to feel dizzy.

"You didn't think I was going to let you keep your memories of these events did you?" Zandorf asked as Espio's memories began to slip away.

He started to forget why Charmy was in his arms, he started to forget all of his knowledge of the Rainbow Chaos Emerald, he started to forget Sanctuary, Sonia and Manic, Zandorf, and Fortune…

Everything was completely blank.

"Something's happened!" Sonic said standing up quickly. "I can feel it!"

He looked down at the Rainbow Chaos Emerald in his hand. He knew that he shouldn't be trying to use chaos control using an emerald that would suck his energy, but he had no choice.

"Chaos control!" Sonic shouted as he disappeared and appeared back in the Mystic Ruins. As he landed he fell to his knees again, all of his energy gone.

"I wish I was never hit with that thing!" Sonic growled as he forced himself to his feet again.

"Yo Sonic, long time no see!" Bokkun said suddenly as he dropped down to Sonic's eye level.

"What do you want I'm busy!" Sonic scolded as Bokkun grinned.

"I have another message for you!" Bokkun announced as he placed the TV in front of him again.

The TV turned on, and to Sonic's horror, Zandorf appeared on the screen.

"Sonic the hedgehog, Sanctuary's most famous outlaw, and the only one to survive," Zandorf began before smiling. "Your siblings are in my possession, and the rainbow chaos emerald is in yours. Surrender the emerald to me by noon tomorrow in Station Square, otherwise I will fill their prison with Netra and they will cease to live. Choose wisely Sonic," Zandorf said as Sonic once again threw the TV right before it exploded.

"Darn it!" Bokkun complained as Sonic clenched his fists around the emerald.

"I knew I should have gone with them! If I surrender the emerald, we lose for sure… If I don't Sonia, Manic, and Fortune are all done for…" Sonic said frowning, as he picked up his medallion with his free hand and stared at it.

"So what are you going to do?" Bokkun asked as Sonic shut his eyes.

Then Sonic was off, at about half his normal speed, without saying a word.


	12. Relation Positive

Who was Fortune again? He felt like he was supposed to know… Like she was someone important to him, but he could bring up no memories of her.

"How did I get here?" Espio asked looking around slightly panicked when he looked down to find Charmy nearly dying in his arms.

"Charmy!" Espio panicked as he looked around the area and began to run at high speeds, back to the Chaotix Detective Agency.

"How did Charmy get this way?" Espio thought aloud as he ran. "And why… Why can't I remember anything since the arrival of the hedgehogs? And who is Fortune?"

Zandorf watched Espio depart, with a smile on his face. "That takes care of those two."

"But Lord Zandorf, what if Espio's memory comes back?" The hedgehog who had been holding Charmy asked.

"That's too unlikely to be a problem, for Espio to break free of the memory swipe I just instilled upon him, would take a miracle," Zandorf said as he began to walk back to his own base.

Espio kicked through the door to the Chaotix Detective Agency, finding a surprised Vector with his feet up on his desk.

"Espio! And Charmy! Charmy what's wrong partner?!" Vector panicked as he rushed toward them and took Charmy from Espio and laid him on the couch.

"Hang in there Charmy!" Vector requested as he began to find blankets, to cover the feverish bee who could barely breathe.

"I'll call a doctor," Espio said rushing to a phone, while Vector finished dumping blankets on Charmy, and placed a cold wash cloth over his forehead.

"I should have known something was wrong when Charmy didn't come back!" Vector said to himself slapping his own forehead as he sat on his knees next to Charmy.

"Exactly where did you send him?" Espio asked as Vector looked up at him surprised.

"I sent him to gather info on those new hedgehogs, to see if they would lead us to Fortune's siblings," Vector reminded him as Espio looked down.

"I didn't know we had a case…" Espio admitted as Vector stood up and looked at him concerned.

"Espio, do you remember anything? You were in love with that Fortune girl, she's Sonic's older sister, and you left to chase after her and have been gone for like four weeks!" Vector pointed out as Espio continued to watch the ground.

"You really have no memory of any of this what so ever!" Vector yelled right as Charmy began to moan.

"Zandorf… he has… Cream… I have to get back and protect her…" Charmy said forcing himself to sit up. Vector and Espio rushed back to his side, and both put him back down gently.

"Charmy, Zandorf doesn't have Cream, he's trying to help this world out, so there's no way he could have kidnapped her," Vector attempted to reason only to have Charmy shake his head.

"No! He's lying! He's a bad man Vector!" Charmy shouted as tears came to his eyes. "He caught me spying on him, and used me to get to Espio… He had me trapped in a cage… So that he could use Espio to lead Fortune to a trap, and now he has Cream!"

Espio gasped. He didn't remember any of this. But with his memory gone… It was possible…

"I have to go help Cream! She's trusting me to keep her safe from that hedgehog," Charmy said sobbing before Vector pulled him in close to prevent him from leaving.

"_Fortune!" Espio shouted only to watch her green eyes tear up and close from the constant voltage. She was gone… With the belief, that Espio never felt anything at all for the beautiful hedgehog… And there was nothing more he could do about it… _

_She trusted him to keep her safe, in body and in heart, and he betrayed her…_

"I remember now!" Espio said making Vector look up. "It's true what Charmy is saying, Zandorf is planning on taking over this world, but he has to get his children out of the way first! When I freed Charmy he took away my memory, and when Charmy mentioned trust… I remembered everything he took away!" Espio said in realization.

He couldn't believe he'd actually broken Zandorf's memory swipe. From what Fortune had told him about her own memories being taken away, she said that to break most memory swipes, there had to be some sort of trigger, or ocasionly there was a time limit on the spell, and that the trigger was nearly impossible to find.

"Vector, we have a new case, free Fortune and the others!"

Chuck and Tails were just about to test the D.N.A collected by Shadow to find out exactly who these strange hedgehogs were.

"Ready to test-." Tails began to announce as Knuckles ran into the room carrying a half eaten peach, and bringing with him the horrible scent of garbage.

"I found something with Sonic's D.N.A!" Knuckles announced placing it on the scanner while accidentally pushing Tails into the genetic comparison button.

"Knuckles now look what you've done!" Chuck scolded. "Now the organizer is going to waste Sonic's D.N.A by comparing it to the other hedgehogs!"

"Gah! I'm sorry!" Knuckles apologized as best he could as a green hedgehog's picture and Sonic's picture appeared on the screen.

"Comparing… Relation positive..." The computer announced making Tails, Knuckles, and Chuck look up in shock.

"What?!" Everyone shouted in unison.

Suddenly the brown echidna looking hedgehog appeared on the screen and was compared with Sonic and the green hedgehogs dna.

"Relation Positive," the computer said again as a string of guilt pulled on Knuckles's heart, as he remembered the sequence of dreams involving Sonic and Fortune.

Then a two toned pink hedgehog appeared on the screen, and was compared with the other three.

"Relation Positive," Chuck, Tails, and Knuckles were silenced from words.

Finally, the red and black hedgehog, and the purple hedgehog appeared on the screen.

They were first compared with each other, coming up with a negative, then they were tested with the younger hedgehog's dna.

"Relation Positive," the computer announced as it drew out a family tree.

The older hedgehogs were on top, connected to each other by a line, then, Sonic, the green hedgehog, the brown hedgehog, and the two toned pink hedgehog, connected to the two older hedgehogs.

"I don't believe it!" Tails said as Chuck clicked on Sonic's profile.

"Name: Sonic the Hedgehog

Age: Fifteen

Born: February 27th 2:07 pm.

Medical History: Drug Resistant Sanaterea.

Blood type: O negative

Birthplace: Unknown planet

Allergies: Netra (deathly)," The computer read as Knuckles mouth hung open.

"What does it mean unknown planet?!" Knuckles asked shocked as Chuck shook his head and clicked on the green hedgehog's profile.

"Name: Manic the Hedgehog

Age: Fifteen

Born: February 27th 2:08 pm.

Medical History: Drug Resistant Sanaterea

Blood type: O negative

Birthplace: Unknown planet

Allergies: Netra (deathly)," The computer read, Tails clicked on the pink hedgehog's picture next.

"Name: Sonia the Hedgehog

Age: Fifteen

Born: February 27th 2:09 pm.

Medical History: Drug Resistant Sanaterea

Blood type: O negative

Birthplace Unknown planet

Allergies: Netra (deathly)," the computer read as Tails blinked in shock.

They clicked on the brown hedgehogs picture.

"Name: Fortune the Hedgehog

Age: Twenty seven

Born: June 25th 3:00 am.

Medical History: Sanaterea,

Blood type: O negative

Birthplace: Unknown planet

Allergies: Netra (deathly)

"So they're siblings," Chuck deduced as Tails nodded.

"Not only that, but Sonic, Sonia and Manic are triplets…" Tails added as Knuckles stared at the screen with his mouth open.

All that he had been dreaming was becoming his reality, part of him still wanted to believe that the dreams were just dreams.

"I can't accept these dreams as memories yet!" Knuckels suddenly yelled making Chuck and Tails turn to him. "None of this makes sense! There are still too many holes, if Sonic really was my best friend in my forgotten past why is it that neither of us remember it? And why aren't there more memories?!" Knuckles demanded holding his head which had begun to pulse in pain.

"What are you talking about Knuckles?" Tails asked taken aback by his friend's sudden outburst.

"I-." Knuckles began right as everything went black.

…_**Sonic's father, that Zandorf hedgehog that's here now… He's been destroying lives ever since the very beginning… Sonic and I, worked together to help those affected by his wrath… **_

"_Did we get everyone?" Tikal asked carefully setting two foxes onto the ground. _

_A few seconds passed before Knuckles and Sonic ran out of a separate building each carrying three elder foxes. _

"_How did I let you talk me into this?" Knuckles asked as he set the fox elders down to the ground. _

_Sonic glared at him for a minute as he set the elders on the ground. _

_About sixteen feet away from the group Zeena was running out of a large medical building struggling with four newborns in her arms. _

"_Is there anyone left in there?" Sonic asked as Zeena handed two newborns to Fortune's empty arms. _

"_One newborn but the building is collapsing you're not going to be able to get to him in time!" Zeena warned already knowing what Sonic was going to try to do. _

"_We can't leave him in there!" Sonic urged as he ran into the building before Fortune could talk him out of it. _

"_Sonic!" Fortune called out desperately as he ran into the burning building. _

"_I'll get him out of there!" Knuckles promised as he began to dig a hole in the ground. _

"_Knuckles! Oh man, please be careful…" Tikal warned him but Knuckles was already too far deep in the ground to hear her. _

_Sonic coughed violently he began running forward, as he did flaming boards came crashing down in front of him blocking his path as well as more falling behind him. _

_Sonic was trapped in a burning building that would collapse any minute and there was a newborn still in there. _

_Just when Sonic thought this was the end of him Knuckles popped his head out of the middle of the floor. _

"_Am I ever glad to see you!" Sonic thanked as he pulled Knuckles out. _

"_Grr… You're and idiot you know that!" Knuckles yelled at the top of his lungs and began punching through the boards that blocked their path. _

_Sonic nodded and they both began running through the building once more until they finally reached an area of the building that had a bunch of wooden cribs for newborns. _

_Sonic tried to see through the smoke but it was almost useless. Suddenly his ears pricked up and he heard a weak dry cry. _

_He ran towards the cry and in one of the cribs in the back laid an orange fox wrapped up in a blanket. _

_Sonic carefully picked up the fox and held him with one arm then ran back to Knuckles. _

"_Let's get out of here!" Sonic yelled as they began running back the way they came as Knuckles continually punched away burning wood. _

_They finally made it out of the building just as it collapsed. _

"_Never run into a burning building like that again or else I am not saving you!" Knuckles yelled at Sonic once they had reached the rest of the group. _

"_I'm not making any promises pal." Sonic admitted as they began running back to the group._

"_You two are safe." Fortune sighed with relief as she carefully hugged Sonic._

…_**That's where… We found Tails… Back when he was just minutes old…**_

_Fortune used a chaos emerald to teleport everyone that they had rescued to Angel Island where Zeena and Keno went to work with treating the fox's burns. _

_Fortune was watching over the five year old foxes waiting for them to wake up from the smokes toxin. _

_Her efforts were rewarded as the fox with the medallion around her neck began to wake up. _

_She had one blue eye and one green. _

_Fortune helped her sit up until she caught balance then she gazed up at her. _

"_Where am I?" The fox asked confused as she looked around. _

"_You are on Angel Island, Zandorf bombed most of your colony but we were able to save your family a few elders and five newborns." _

_Fortune explained to the confused fox. "My name is Fortune." She introduced herself to the young fox. _

"_My name's Sage, nice to meet you." Sage introduced to the echidna looking hedgehog. _

_The two were becoming fast friends as were Knuckles and Sonic to the newborn they had saved. _

"_Wah!" The orange fox cried loudly as he struggled out of his blanket. _

_Sonic walked up to the newborn fox and carefully picked him up. _

"_What's the matter little guy?" Knuckles asked the young fox that Sonic held. _

"_Hey Zeena, do you know who and how old these foxes are?" Sonic asked as he rocked the fox genteelly in attempt to calm him. _

"_Well the pink one is Rosy and she is about five hours old, the bright yellow one is her twin his name is Sun. _

_The green fox is Axel and despite the name she is a girl and ten hours old, and the red fox is five hours old and his name is Leaf." _

_Zeena explained over the orange fox's cries. _

"_That's not helping him Sonic." Knuckles informed him as he carefully took the fox from Sonic's arms. _

_As soon as he was in Knuckles arms the fox's screams grew louder causing Sonic, Fortune, and Tikal to cover their ears. _

_Knuckles was defeated, he handed the baby back to Sonic which then made the fox's cry turn into whimpers. _

"_What about this guy?" Sonic asked as the fox squirmed out of his blanket completely. _

"_He was five minutes old, but now he'd be about a half hour and he didn't have a name yet." Zeena explained not looking up from the fox she was treating. _

"_I see." Sonic realized sadly as he turned to Knuckles who was looking wide eyed at the fox. _

"_Whoa this fox has two tails!" Knuckles noticed as the fox's tails began to move. _

"_No way!" Everyone said in unison except for Knuckles and Sonic. _

"_Pretty cool." Sonic thought aloud as the baby fox began to close his eyes. _

"_You know what he needs a name." Sonic decided as the fox sucked the bottle slowly. _

"_I agree question is what?" Knuckles agreed as he stared at the fox. _

"_My vote is with Tails." Sonic said as he pulled the bottle away from the newborn and laid his head over his shoulder. _

_The fox protested greatly once the bottle was taken away from him but within seconds of when Sonic began patting his back, he burped and was then returned to feeding position. _

_Sonic then replaced the bottle into the fox's mouth. _

_Knuckles shook his head and answered. "What happens when he gets older? Others will make fun of him." Knuckles explained then suggested. "Miles would defiantly work better for him." _

"_Okay how about Miles 'Tails' Prower?" Sonic suggested as the fox finished the bottle and was now asleep once more. _

"_Where did 'Prower' come from?" Knuckles asked unsure of the name he had chosen. _

"_I don't know it fits." Sonic shrugged as he lightly placed Miles next to the other sleeping foxes and covered him with a blanket._

…_**That's why I remember naming him… Sonic and I got so attached to the little guy that we decided to take him to the Underground Trail that led out of Sanctuary and to some place no one knew. The Fox-Echidna there removed Tails's tie to the emerald. Back when the Rainbow Emerald had other clans to collect energy from… But Sonic's father knocked all of the other clans down… one by one… Except the echidna clan… The Echidna clan was defeated by Chaos… **_

"_You're going where?!" Knuckles demanded as he looked at his best friend with anger and worry. _

"_I'm going to join the protection unit, to see if they can teach me how to control my powers," Sonic explained smiling. "We just came here to get some yellow paint, so I'm not assassinated you know." _

"_Are you crazy?! You'll die out there!" Knuckles argued as Sonic shrugged his shoulders. _

"_I might die out there, but I have to learn how to fight for myself Knuckles, plus I don't know to what extent that power of mine goes, if I accidently use it, who knows what will happen." Sonic countered as Knuckles growled. _

"_You not going," Knuckles decided as he turned around and began to head back to the shrine. _

"_You can hardly stop me going that way Knuckles!" Sonic teased as Knuckles stopped and turned his head half way toward him. _

"_You didn't let me finish, I was going to say you're not going, without me," Knuckles said now smiling back at him. "Someone's got to cover your weak ass!" _

"_Say that again!" Sonic challenged as Knuckles stuck out his tongue. _

"_I'm going, to protect your weak ass!" _

… _**That's right… It's starting to come back to me… Everything I went through with Sonic…He had a death warrant above his head because he was a blue hedgehog… A cursed color back on Sanctuary… I went with him… To make sure he didn't get hurt… Because he was my best friend, my only friend and I didn't want to lose him… In the protection unit I learned how to fight…But that didn't help me, for the raid on Angel Island… The last time I ever saw my mother… **_

_The night was dark, lightless, and cold, on the edge of Angel Island, sat Knuckles, with his oldest friend, no his only friend, sitting next to him while Knuckles was drowning himself in tears._

_"I have experience fighting! Why didn't she let me help her?" Knuckles cried as a hand was placed on his shoulder._

_"I think it's because she didn't want you to get hurt, it's the same thing for when Fortune was protecting me when I was younger," his blue quill friend suggested as Knuckles pushed the hand off._

_"It's not the same for you two! Fortune isn't even your real mom!" Knuckles yelled as sadness and surprise filled his friend's emerald green eyes._

_"Maybe she didn't give birth to me, but she does everything I've come to understand a mom does for her children._

_She cooks me food, tucks me in at night, changed my diapers when I was little, and never fails to tease me that's for sure._

_Anyway, I guess the truth is, all my life, Fortune was always the one taking care of me, I know she is my sister, but she has been taking care of me like a mother…_

_So yes it is the same between Fortune and I! She is risking her life just to keep me alive! And I think that's why Tikal ordered you to stay back," his blue friend lectured as a brown quilled echidna looking hedgehog walked up to the two friends._

_"I'm so sorry Knuckles there wasn't anything that could be done Tikal is gone." Fortune said slowly attempting not to cry herself. _

"_No! She can't be gone she just can't!" Knuckles denied attempting to punch air only to have Sonic catch his fists. _

"_I don't believe it! I can't believe it! I just can't!" Knuckles cried falling to his knees and just sobbing. _

"_Sonic… Can I speak with you alone please?" Fortune asked as he nodded leaving Knuckles behind. _

"_I'll be back Knuckles," Sonic promised laying a comforting hand on his shoulder before turning to follow his sister. _

_Knuckles remained on the ground for some time, sobbing, until he began to hear the muffled voices of his friends. _

"_What?!" Sonic's voice demanded making Knuckles stop crying, and edge closer to the hedgehogs who were standing in front of the ruined shrine. _

"_Knuckles has to forget about his life on Sanctuary," Fortune said as tears quickened down Knuckles face. _

_Forget? Lose all his memories? _

"_But Knuckles is only friend I have! I lost Iku, Zeena, and Keno, and now you're saying that I have to give up Knuckles now too?!" Sonic demanded his voice breaking as Fortune kept her face stern. Knuckles could tell, even from behind that Sonic was crying._

"_Tikal asked me to do it Sonic," Fortune explained. "She wants Knuckles to forget his life on Sanctuary, and be taken with Angel Island to Mobius, where he can be safe, and protect the emeralds. It's what's best for him Sonic… I just thought I should tell you first…" Fortune explained as she began to walk toward Knuckles. _

"_Wait!" Sonic yelled making Fortune stop in her tracks. _

"_He's my friend! If it has to be done, if he has to forget everything, if he has to be sent away to a place I will never see him again, I want to be the one to tell him… As my best friend, he deserves to hear it from me!" Sonic insisted as Fortune's mouth dropped in shock, before she nodded with understanding. _

"_But I don't want to forget everything!" Knuckles yelled making both Sonic and Fortune turn to find him standing there clenching his fists. _

"_How could you even suggest something like that? My memories are a part of who I am! I can't forget everything that's happened. I especially can't leave the memories of my mother and I! I don't care what she wants… I won't do it! I won't forget my best friend and Mother!" Knuckles shouted looking again at the ground as tears fell. _

"_You won't forget…" Sonic said suddenly making Knuckles look up again. "Well we're best friends aren't we? We've been there for each other since the very beginning… To be a best friend, means that you never really forget…" _

"_But that's what's going to happen!" Knuckels reminded him as Sonic shook his head again. _

"_Your mind may forget me, but the heart always remembers, so you won't really forget," Sonic explained as Knuckles's fists unclenched. _

"_And besides, one day we might meet again," Sonic said smiling._

"_But when, if, we meet again…" Knuckles began his voice calm. "I won't realize that I know you, except in my heart…" _

"_Every memory spell has a trigger that undoes it Knuckles, if you see Sonic you might regain your memories again," Fortune explained. _

"_But still…" Knuckles began again before Sonic interrupted. _

"_You have to protect the power here Knuckles…" Sonic encouraged. "You'll be a better guardian if you forget everything tied to Sanctuary… It's no place for anybody to live, at least not with my father in power." _

"_I won't forget… Not really, because the heart always remembers…" Knuckles decided forcing a smile and directing it at Sonic, who smiled back despite the tears rolling down his face. _

"_Fortune… Can I ask you something?" Knuckles said now looking at her. _

"_What is it?" Fortune asked as Knuckles walked up to her. _

"_Could… Could you at least wait until I fall asleep?" Knuckles asked as Fortune nodded. _

"_I can do that," Fortune assured him. _

_The three of them stayed there with Knuckles for the next three hours. Counseling each other over this and that, discussing broken dreams, making plans for what would happen if they ever met each other again, anything that Knuckles could think of to keep him awake. If he could just stay awake forever, he wouldn't have to lose everything. But exhaustion was taking his toll on him. And minutes to dawn, Knuckles struggled to keep his eyes open as he laid on one of the steps of the shrine. _

"_I'm… starting to fall asleep…" Knuckles said closing his eyes then forcing them to open again. _

"_What did you think you could stay awake forever?" Sonic asked nearly falling asleep as well. _

"_Well… I guess part of me wanted to..." Knuckles admitted laughing with Sonic joining. _

"_You will wake up in Mobius, and knowing you have to protect the emerald, you be careful there okay?" Fortune requested as Knuckles gave a slight nod as his eyes closed again. _

"_Goodbye Sonic…" Knuckles said as his world became a dream. _

_In the very distant corners of his dream, he heard a reply. _

"_Goodbye Knuckles…" _

Knuckles woke up with Tails and Chuck looking down on him with worried eyes. He sat up quickly, looked up at the computer screen, that now showed the family tree of Sonic and his family.

"Knuckles are you okay?" Chuck attempted to ask as Knuckles got to his feet.

"I know where Sonic is from. He is from a planet called Sanctuary, you and I were born there too Tails," Knuckles began making Tails's mouth drop.

"Sanctuary? But then how did I end up on Mobius?" Tails asked shocked.

"Sonic and I sent you there, because Zandorf destroyed the colony you were born in," Knuckles explained his head finally clear.

"Zandorf did? But I thought-." Chuck began before Knuckles shook his head.

"No, Zandorf is playing this world, trying to gain our trust so that he can destroy Sonic and his siblings…" Knuckles said basing the idea on the collective memories of Sonic's father. He didn't know what happened after he left Sanctuary, so it was possible Zandorf also had other motives.

"Finally figured it out did you?" Espio asked appearing in the open garge doorway, with Vector carrying a sick Charmy.

"The Chaotix! What's wrong with Charmy?" Tails asked concerned as they walked in.

"Zandorf has been keeping him captive up until now, he's also the one who took Cream," Espio explained making everyone gasp.

"I can't believe it!" Chuck said as Espio nodded.

"She isn't the only one being held captive, Fortune, Manic, and Sonia were all captured thanks to me… He manipulated me to be a spy for him," Espio explained as Knuckles clenched his fists.

"What about Sonic?" Knuckles demanded as Espio frowned.

"He's using Sonic's siblings as bait, they will die soon if he doesn't turn over the Rainbow Chaos Emerald," Espio answered as Knuckles eyes went wide.

'If Sonic has the Rainbow Chaos Emerald, and the lives of his siblings are at stake, there is no way he'd go down without a fight, and if his siblings are locked up… He's going to try to face Zandorf alone!' Knuckles realized as he began running out the door.

"Knuckles where are you going?!" Chuck asked as they watched him rush out.

"To help Sonic!" Knuckles announced as he disappeared.

"That's what we came to do too, we're going to free Fortune, Manic, and Sonia, we just need someone to watch Charmy," Vector explained.

"Sonic's going to need his siblings to help him asap, especially since he nearly died from Netra exposure," Espio followed as Tails jumped in shock.

"The bullet I hit him with was laced with Netra!" Tails announced as everyone began to give him a death glare.

"Well we'll worry about that later, I'll take care of Charmy, Tails you brief Amy, Shadow and Rouge and head to give Sonic back up until his siblings arrive," Chuck ordered taking Charmy into his arms.

"Got it!" Tails assured him as he ran off.

"And we'll go save his siblings, be careful that you aren't attacked while we're gone!" Espio warned as they began taking off.

"Of course!" Chuck said before he ran inside with Charmy.

Zandorf and Gem stood together in the middle of Station Square, with a crowd of people, and soldiers, surrounding them, watching for any sign of Sonic.

Behind Zandorf a few feet away, stood Doctor Eggman with an ever present grin on his face, and his robots Decoe, Bocoe and Bokun standing at his sides. He purposely kept his mind clear of all thoughts.

"Tis almost noon and he still hasn't shown up," Gem said aloud moving a stray quill from in front of her eyes.

'I doesn't matter, one way or another I will get the emerald from Sonic.' Zandorf thought to himself. He was about to raise his hand to signal Eggman to drop the Netra flowers, right when Sonic appeared in front of him about twenty five feet away.

"Finally showed up?" Zandorf said grinning as Sonic began to walk closer, glaring only at Zandorf.

He didn't speak a word to his father, he just kept walking closer and closer to him, until they were fifteen feet apart.

At fifteen feet, Sonic got down on one knee, and set the Rainbow Chaos emerald down on the ground in front of him, then looked up at his father and smirked. "If you want this emerald, you're going to have to defeat me in battle!"

"Name your terms," Zandorf said smiling.

"If I win, you and Gem step down from power, and you cannot use your powers ever again, and you free Fortune, Manic, Sonia, and whoever else you may have trapped," Sonic announced as Zandorf laughed.

"And if I win, I get to take your life hedgehog, and the life of your siblings. The emerald of course will go to me," Zandorf announced as Sonic nodded and jumped back from the emerald.

"Aside from the use of the Chaos Emeralds or the Rainbow Chaos Emerald, everything is fair game!" Sonic added as Zandorf nodded, still grinning.

"Very well, prepare to lose Sonic," Zandorf said as they stared into each other's eyes.

Then, the battle began.


End file.
